It's beginning to look a lot like Smoshmas
by robotiancornattack
Summary: Part of Smoshfan1231994's fanfic tag! A series of 25 fluffy little oneshots pertaining to Christmas. Let's see if I can do this! haha. Pairings: Kalanthony mostly, some Iancorn (I am weak!), and probably a bit of Marhinkishire too.
1. Tree (Kalanthony)

"A little to the left," Kalel waved her hand inward to flag Anthony's movement.

Anthony shifted the bare Christmas tree in the direction Kalel indicated, standing back once it was in place so she could give it her own appraisal. She tapped her chin and pursed her lips thoughtfully before nodding her approval. The room was filled with boxes containing ornaments and lights and various decorations, which created a playground for Pip. Buki had already been there, seen this for the most part so she sat back and lazily eyed the big kitten.

"Pip is eating the garland," Anthony observed.

"Pip!" Kalel stomped forward and put on her best stern face, lifting the cat away from his trouble making and whirling him around to face her. "Stop eating Christmas!" She dropped him on the ground and sent him off with a little pat to his rump.

A laugh escaped Anthony, "Buki's just sitting there like 'ha ha, bitch. I knew you was gonna get in trouble.'"

"Buki's a good girl who knows the rules of Christmas. Isn't that right, Buk?" She leaned down to give Buki a few scratches before popping up and skittering to her fiancé's side. "Babe, babe. We gotta start with the lights. Get the lights! Hurry, hurry."

"Alright, alright..."

Kalel ushered him forward and trailed close behind so she could assist. Together, they pulled open the box and frowned at the state of the cord. Anthony lifted out the tangled mess, looking down at it and then back up at her.

He shook his head gravely. "How does this even happen? Are cords having some massive orgy after Christmas or something?"

"Well what else do they have to do with their time - being locked up in a box for eleven months and all?" she reached out to take one end of the mess, sinking down onto the floor and beginning to pick it apart. When Anthony remained standing, she shot him a glance and held it for a few seconds before he obeyed her silent command and sank down to do the same.

"And so we spend the rest of our day detangling Christmas lights. I thought we were gonna try and get a vlog in here somewhere."

"Please. The viewers only want to see the finished product. This part would definitely be boring."

"Not if we tied Buki and Pip to the tree and said Merry Catmas, everyone."

"Yeah, I'd leave that entirely up to you. You can wrangle them and see how much skin you have left at the end of it..." Kalel successfully detangled a quarter of her end of the line, scooting up so she had more access to the rest.

They worked together, hunched over like monkeys picking the lice from other monkeys. Even though they had to shoo Pip away a few times when he wanted to offer his 'help,' in the end, they successfully had a string of lights ready to be hung. Anthony took one section while Kalel secured the other to make sure no unintentional light orgies happened on the way, and they began to wrap the tree. Once finished, Kalel stood back to make any final adjustments before they deemed it ready for the next step - the actual decorating. She clapped her hands together, prancing toward the boxes.

"Yaaay, the fun part~"

"Yaaay," Anthony echoed with a hundred times less enthusiasm.

Kalel scrunched her nose at his response, "Don't mock my fun, Anthoneezer Scrooge."

"Anthoneezer Splooge?" He joked, but then smiled. "I'm not. I swear. As long as you're having fun, I'm having fun."

"That's the blanket boyfriend response. You're just lucky I'll let you off the hook," as she made her statement, she brought one of the little glitterized Christmas ornaments up and into his hand by the hook. "See what I did there."

He chuckled, "I see. And you can only get away with it because you're so darn cute." He leaned forward, stealing a quick peck before finding a random place for the ornament.

Together, they finished the tree with Kalel's perfectionist designer mind causing her to move several things several times before she was satisfied with the outcome. The result? An amazing looking tree that took over four hours to decorate. She smiled, grabbing her phone so she could take a picture of the end results for her blog. Then she snatched up Anthony's hand so they could get a selfie in front of it for their instagram. Once the picfest was done, she noticed Pip by the tree - batting at one of the low hanging ornaments.

"No!" she said firmly, plucking the cat up and moving him away.

Anthony took one of Pip's favorite toys, waving it around to get his attention before tossing it off further into the apartment. The kitten chased after it eagerly. "There. That problem's taken care of."

"We are so gonna have our hands full with him," Kalel placed her hand beneath her bangs, shaking her head. "Anyway, after all that work, I'm _starving._.." she declared, heading toward the kitchen.

"Me too," Anthony agreed, following her.

She rummaged around the closet, finding a pack of cookies and beginning to nibble on them, "We should seriously go out and get some food. I think we earned dinner being cooked by someone else."

He sidled closer, plucking up a cookie and popping it in his mouth, "Agreed. Or we could just sit here and eat cookies for dinner. I'm totally okay with that."

"You sound like a five year old," she laughed, pulling out another cookie and nibbling it down. "Oh!" She polished off the treat, dusting the crumbs from her hands before pulling out her phone. "We should vlog and show off our hard work."

"Everyone will be so jealous of our amazing tree," he picked a bit of food mush from his teeth, receiving an unamused look from Kalel. "Whaat?"

"Nice, babe. Real sexy," came her sarcastic response before she looked at the already recording camera. "Heeeey, guys!"

Anthony hovered over her shoulder with a wave, "Sup?"

"So as always, I'm going to apologize on the lack of vlogs on our part. Especially with the holidays going on, things are cu-raaa-zy. But we're slowly making some progress. We decorated our tree today, yaaaay!"

"And stopped the lights from having orgies," Anthony added.

"And stopped the lights from having orgies," Kalel repeated in agreement before looking back at the camera. "No. Seriously, you should've seen the crazy kama sutra positions these things twisted themselves in. Way worse than when me and Anthony try yoga. I have no idea how it always happens because every year when we take down the tree, I make sure to take the cord and wrap it up all nice, neat, and untangled."

"I think it's one of those mysteries of life. The same way you always have one sock that goes missing," Anthony snatched up another cookie and gave no cares that he was chowing down on camera.

"Look at Anthony over there being a fatass." She turned the camera onto him completely.

He went over to get more, twerking all the way which made her start laughing uncontrollably as she reached out to give him a slap on his backside. Her laughs stopped abruptly, however, when there was a very loud crash from the other room. Both Anthony and Kalel exchanged stunned looks before rushing out of the kitchen in time to see Pip darting away from the scene of the crime and their tree completely toppled over - lights blinking, ornaments broken, and Buki uncertainly surveying the aftermath.

"Oh noooo!" Kalel exclaimed.

Anthony headed over, careful to step over the broken glass just so he could right the tree again, "Well, we wondered how Pip would react to Christmas."

"All that hard work. All the ornaments," Kalel sounded very close to crying, stepping forward to lift the remnants of a particularly fond decoration. "Babe. Baabe, look! It's the one you got me when we first started dating. Sir Pip, you are in so much trouble!"

Anthony leaned over to plant a kiss on her forehead, "So we make new memories. New ornaments. And at least it makes a funny video, right?"

Realizing she still had the phone in her hand, Kalel brought it up to record the damage, "You guys, look what Pip did to our tree. I don't even know what we're gonna do - see what can be saved, I guess, and what we need to replace. Do you know how long it took to get everything nice and perfect? Four hours. _Four hours._"

"And Pip destroyed it all in four seconds," Anthony tried to keep the amusement out of his voice, but he didn't do a very good job.

Kalel released a sigh, swinging the camera around to face herself so she could shake her head in exasperation. Then it was back on Anthony.

"But this means more vlog time opportunities. They can go shopping with us for ornaments. Pip is giving back to the fans."

"I'm ready to give him to the fans," she huffed, but in the end she couldn't be all that angry. He was a cat, after all. The tree was like a glorious beacon of all things shiny, and if she was a cat, she'd want in on that action. "But I guess we're gonna head out and start that shopping now. After all that hard work, we were gonna get dinner anyway. Now we get dinner and more hard work." She fake cried.

"See, we should've gone with my idea of tying the cats to the tree."

"Maybe that's what we'll do. Pip definitely deserves to be hanging up there by his balls," Kalel flipped the camera around and turned it off before setting it to the side. Her hand slipped up beneath her bangs to hold them away from her eyes as she looked over the mess. "I guess I better get this cleaned up. Buki, go yell at your little brother for me."

"Well, we joked about it being Catmas. So, Merry _Cat Mess_, Kalel," Anthony stepped forward, taking her by the hands and planting a comforting kiss on her lips.

She leaned into it, giving in to his soothing. Merry Cat Mess indeed.


	2. Lights (Kalanthony)

Kalel was exhausted. She and Anthony had spent the whole day shopping for the family, and while there was a great deal of walking around and browsing, their overall haul was pretty nonexistent. Either the prices were outrageous or the stores just didn't have what either of them were looking for. So by the time they reached the car, she eased her feet out of her shoes and brought her legs up onto the seat while Anthony drove them home.

"I can't wait until we get back. I'm just gonna feed the cats and then collapse on the bed." She closed her eyes and lolled her head back. "I'm soo sleepy."

Anthony smiled over at her, "But you can't sleep yet."

She opened her eyes to look over at him, "Why not? Not even just a little nap?"

He shook his head, "Nope."

"Not even just for a few seconds?"

"Nuh uh."

"Half a second?"

"No way."

She crinkled her nose, turning her attention toward the window. "You're no fun."

"I just wanna show you something. I promise it'll be worth it. Just trust me, okay?" Anthony veered off the path toward their home, driving them away from the city and toward the more suburban parts of LA - around where their old house had been.

"I trust you, I trust you. But my sleepy eyes are kind of saying nothing else is more important than sleep..."

She watched as the scenery passed them by. The lights and traffic of Los Angeles blurring together, the music of car horns blaring and angry drivers shouting curses. 'Tis the season to get irrationally pissed off at each other, she supposed. But they were driving away from that - heading toward where the cars were more sparse and the only thing that illuminated the streets were lamp posts and house lights. Kalel wanted to appreciate what Anthony was doing for her - because she was sure he was being thoughtful and sweet like always - but damnit, she was tired. She looked back at him.

"Are we there yet?"

Amusement bled into the corner of his lips, "Almost."

"How long is it gonna take to get home from here?"

"Don't think about that..." he lifted one hand away from the steering wheel, poking her nose.

She scrunched it on contact. "I can't help it. You should've force fed me something caffeinated if you planned on doing something like this."

Anthony laughed, "You'll survive. You've survived worse. I'm more worried about what Pip's doing to our house than anything."

"Ugh, don't even remind me..." she shook her head. "At least our tree's still standing," she paused and then tagged on as an after thought: "Hopefully."

The car began to slow down and as it did, Kalel was hit by a small second wind of energy - at least enough to perk up and look around to see if she could catch a glimpse of what Anthony wanted to show her. Instead, they were pulling into one of the apartment complexes where one of their mutual friend's lived. She raised her brow and glanced over at Anthony in confusion when they parked.

"Jimmy's?"

He smiled - a mysterious smile. "You'll see. C'mon."

He was getting out of the car and she groaned, "I don't wanna walk anymore..."

Anthony rolled his eyes and headed over to her door, opening it up for her, "C'mon. I'll carry you if I have to."

Kalel's eyes lit up, "Ooo. Ooo! Piggyback ride!" She undid her seatbelt and made grabby hands for him.

Anthony, being the good boyfriend/fiancé he was, stooped down to give into her demand - allowing her to climb on before he stood, hefting her up into a comfortable carrying position before he headed for the apartment complex. Kalel playfully kicked at his side, extending one arm to point forward.

"Hi hoh, Silver! Awaaay!"

He did his best neigh, 'trotting' toward the entrance. "I gotta put you down to open the door."

Kalel made a small sound of disappointment before unlocking her legs from his waist and plopping onto her feet. "Yeah. I totally forgot to put my shoes back on...cold pavement on socks - not pleasant!"

Anthony gave her a sheepish smile, "Sorry. But I'll carry you all the way up to the roof if that'll make it any better."

"Hmmm. I think that's a fair compromise."

As soon as he opened the door and they were inside the building, Anthony stooped to be her personal carriage once more. And she hopped on gleefully, enjoying the childish treatment as he walked them up the stairs. She still had no idea what he was doing. For all she knew, his secret surprise could be to get her up on the roof and push her off. But at least him giving a piggyback ride would make it all worth it. Kalel leaned her head on his shoulder and planted a little kiss on the underside of his jawline.

"You need to shave, babe," she commented idly, looking up when they finally made it to the door that led to the roof.

Anthony set her down again, but took her hand, "Close your eyes."

Kalel quirked a brow, "And trip and fall to my death?"

"I won't let that happen. I swear."

She continued to look at him skeptically, but finally gave in and slipped her eyes shut. He urged her forward, and she felt the cold burst of air hit her face again as they ventured outside. Anthony guided her a few steps by hand before he stopped and released it, veering around to plant his hands on her shoulders and walk her forward this way. They came to a stop at the ledge where a large, upraised railing was in place to prevent someone from walking straight off. Kalel reached out for it, planting her fingers on the surface and feeling more secure now that she had something to brace herself with. She felt Anthony's hands leave her before feeling his presence at her side, and a curious excitement fluttered in her chest. She wondered what he was so thrilled about showing her so spontaneously.

"Alright..." he paused to build her anticipation. "Open them."

Kalel's eyes fluttered open and she focused her attention on the city before them. Thousands, no, millions of Christmas lights all sparkling from various homes as far as the eye could see. It was, perhaps, the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. Some were flashier than others - blinking or shining, but others were so wonderfully simplistic it was so difficult to pick out her favorite section. The whole thing was a masterpiece of perfect imperfection - everything blending together to create such an extraordinary image. Her eyes filled with touched tears, so grateful Anthony decided to share it with her because he knew she would love it. If at all possible, she was pretty sure she fell in love with him even more in that moment.

"Oh, babe..." she turned toward him.

He smiled down at her knowingly. And together, they made those little jeweled diamonds of light the perfect backdrop for a most romantic kiss.


	3. Snow (Kalanthony)

Kalel had a surprise planned for Anthony. She had been hyping it up for weeks, and as far as she knew, he was beginning to get excited for it - at least he tended to ask her at least once every day what it was. She managed to keep her mouth shut, even though she was bursting to tell him.

The whole plan had been elaborate. Since they didn't have their own yard any longer, she had to get the approval from not just the landlord but the other inhabitants of the apartment complex as well. Then there was the buying of the artificial snow - some modern miracle that, although nontoxic, claimed it could last for weeks without melting (just add water). She didn't know how it would work, or even if it would feel like the real thing, but it seemed like her only option for turning their sunny California home into a winter wonderland.

Kalel even rented out a snow maker for the holiday season so they could put the mixture into it and have authentic snowflakes at their disposal. She was just fortunate that no one had any real objections (one lady seemed concerned and wanted a list of components that made up the snow, but after careful deliberation she deemed it safe for her children). Everyone must have longed for their own piece of holiday magic.

Kalel thought it would be really special for Anthony, though, since he had only seen real snow once. He never had a white Christmas, which to Kalel, was a crime. Considering the amount of Christmas songs based on snowy Christmases, it was something everyone should experience at least once. She couldn't give Anthony the joy of watching the real thing filling everywhere as far as the eye could see with pristine, glistening white - but she could give him a yard. And that was more than most of California would see.

Anthony had been away for the weekend filming things for Smosh. So Kalel took the chance to mix her snow and then cover the courtyard. Although it didn't make as much as she hoped - she was pretty pleased with the outcome once everything was set up. All that was left was to wait for Anthony to get home and see it.

"He's gonna be so happy, Buk'," she told the cat who blinked one eye at her in response.

The waiting game was agony. She must have paced the apartment fifty times - straightening things up, decorating and redecorating spots she decided she didn't like so much, and just carrying conversations with the cats. And every time she checked the clock, only about five minutes had passed. Needless to say, by the time she heard Anthony finally arrive, she dropped whatever boredom killing thing she'd been doing at the time - in this case, it was trying to work with some different fabrics - before she raced out to meet him.

"Babe, babe, babe! Are you ready for your surprise?"

Anthony blinked when he was bombarded before he even got the chance to take off his coat or drop his bag, "Um...yeah? I guess?"

"More enthusiasm, Mister!" She gave him a stern look, pouting her lips.

"OH MY GOD, YES! PLEASE! GIVE ME THIS INCREDIBLY, AMAZING, AWESOME, SUPER SPECIAL SURPRISE!"

Kalel laughed, "Well...a little less enthusiasm than that would've done the trick, but okay! Let's go!" She plucked up his hands and then spun him around toward the door.

"Wait, we're not..." he looked back toward the apartment in confusion, slowly turning to follow her lead. "Where are we going?"

"Not far, not far! You'll see. C'mon!" She was practically yanking him out of the apartment.

Anthony had no choice but the follow, at least being able to dump his back pack onto the floor first. Pip and Buki had come out of hiding to see what was going on, and he spared them a silent plea for help before giving up all resistance and traveling along with his girlfriend. Once she saw he no longer needed the guidance, she dropped one of his hands, holding the other and marching proudly to the door that led to the courtyard.

"Now I want you to know, I put in all the work out here. This was all my idea and all my idea for you, so all the credit for this awesome stuff? Yeah, it belongs to me," she gestured at herself with overexaggerated pride.

"Okay, got it. You're taking all the credit for someone else's work," Anthony nodded.

Kalel slapped him playfully, "That's not what I said at all! Anyway, are you ready?" Her grin grew. She was pretty sure she was more excited about this whole thing than Anthony.

"I am ready," he braced himself, putting on his best zen face and striking a defensive combat pose.

She smiled and opened the door outward for him, "Tadaaaa~"

Anthony moved to the entrance and took in the sight of the snowy courtyard. His expression warmed over and he reached out, catching a few snowflakes in his hand, "Aw, babe. You did this for me?"

Kalel nodded twice, stepping out into the snowy wonderland and twirling around. "I wish I could've given you the real thing, but this is about the closest we can get in California. Everyone deserves a little bit of a white Christmas."

Anthony offered her a touched smile before he darted forward and grabbed her, twisting around so he could drag them both down into the snow, "What're we waiting for, then? Let's start making snow angels!"

Kalel let out a cry of surprise and then laughed when she toppled over into the powder. She gathered an arm full and dumped it over his head, "So you like it?"

"Babe, I love it. Thank you."

Kalel swelled with happiness. To know he could appreciate what she did made all the effort she put into it worth it. Now, they could act like the five year olds they were at heart and play around in the snow. It really was beginning to feel like Christmas.


	4. Red (Marhinki)

_Author's Notes: Heeey, guys! So I'm not Jewish. Just throwing at out there, lol. I apologize if I got anything pertaining to Hanukkah wrong. I watched a few videos and did a little bit of research for what I needed to know for this scene, but it still might be glaringly wrong or there might be more to it...or what not. sob. Either way, I hope I don't offend anyone! lol randomly throwing this out there, but I'm not very good at writing fluffy things with no direction other than to be fluffy, so I keep worrying what I write is very boring. Hopefully you guys are enjoying it, though! ALSO before I close this ramble off, I am so torn between my love for Marhinki and Marishire and couldn't decide one way or the other which one I wanted her to be with for the sake of this story, so I might be writing both pairings. Just consider each of these chapters as standalones with no bearing on the other ones. A few might tie in to each other, especially the Iancorn sections, but otherwise they're each separate one shots tied together only by the fact that they're Christmas themed. :) Thanks for reading!_

* * *

It was pretty late at night, and Matt Sohinki was alone in the game room - putting a few final touches on a video they would be posting tomorrow. He hated being the Scrooge of their little group, but as the only Jewish member of Smosh Games, he had to keep reminding everyone when they were getting swept up in their Christmas spirit that he didn't even celebrate it. So while he might have done the editing during the day when Joven and Lasercorn were filming their latest 'Let's Play' segment, he opted to go at a time when he would be alone just to save himself the aggravation of having to deal with any of their nonsense. Joven, especially. It was only a month, he reminded himself. Not even a month. Twenty-three days in counting. He could do it.

Matt had been so engrossed in his game, he didn't even notice when the door opened behind him until Mari's sudden greeting caused him to jump and let out a yelp. She shrieked and nearly dropped what she was holding. Regaining his composure, he swirled around in his chair to face her, "Geesh, Mari! Try not to be so stealthy next time."

"My bad. It's hard to control my inner ninja, and I didn't think you'd be off in your own little world. What're you doing, anyway?"

"Trying to edit tomorrow's video..."

"Sounds boring. I come bearing gifts of food, so I think it's perfectly okay for you to take a little break."

As soon as she said it, he caught the scent of warm pizza and couldn't think of anything else but his hunger. Funny how he hadn't even noticed his appetite until presented with a meal.

"I guess food is a pretty good excuse for a break." Matt turned around to save what he was doing so far before he got up, following her lead to the break room. "How'd you know I'd be here, anyway?"

She gave him a look, "C'mon, Sohinki, it's preetty obvious you're doing most of your work when the office isn't very busy."

Mari dropped the pizza box onto the table and opened it up. The aroma wafted into the air, and Matt felt enticed by it - inching closer and collecting a paper plate when she offered it to him. He wasted no time freeing a piece of cheesy goodness from the rest of the pie and bringing it to his plate.

Even though he knew Mari deserved a response, Matt had to take a bite first to quell his nagging stomach before he could respond. With a mouthful, he said, "It was that obvious, huh?"

"I get it, though. I do. It can probably be pretty annoying being the one who's left out while no one else really understands," Mari pulled out a slice of her own, and if it was possible to be dainty while eating pizza, well, she managed it.

"I'm pretty used to it. It's something you battle pretty much all your life. Arts and Crafts in school don't want to hear you're not doing the project because Santa doesn't visit little Jewish boys. And wow, this sounds like the depressing beginning of some sob story so I'm just gonna shut up and eat."

"Is it a sad story, though?" She regarded him with interest, pulling off a small piece of her pizza crust and tucking it in her mouth.

"It'll probably sound that way if I tell it. But like I said, I'm used to it by now."

They fell into a silence after that. Matt wasn't entirely sure if she was pitying him in her silence or if she was just giving him the floor to talk about his feelings. Really, he had nothing to say about it. The only thing he felt now was a residual annoyance around Christmas time and nothing more - annoyance that would fade once the Christmas spirit had vanished and everyone else was gearing up toward the New Year. But he supposed he could appreciate her thoughtfulness. After all, she came bearing the wonderful gift of pizza in the middle of the night, which he was doing a pretty fantastic job of devouring.

Mari finished her slice and wiped off her hands, suddenly getting up, "I got something for you."

"Something other than food? You didn't have to..."

"I wanted to!" She called out, darting into the other room for a minute. When she returned, it was with a medium sized box wrapped in shimmering red paper and topped with a golden bow. "I don't know how the whole Hanukkah thing works, but you guys get presents too, right?"

"Yeah, but..." he scratched the back of his neck. "They're normally not wrapped in Christmas paper."

"Shut up! I thought this was pretty neutral, and besides - it doesn't matter. It's the thought that counts. So be thoughtful, Matt, and enjoy the lousy present," she dropped it down in front of him, crossing her arms and giving him her meanest of mean faces. She was only able to hold it for a few seconds before she burst into a laugh.

Her laughter was contagious and although he tried to stop it, a smile broke free on his face. Matt lifted up the box, holding it to his ear and shaking. "What is it?"

"Why are you asking me what it is before you open it? Do you not get the concept of presents? Geesh!" Mari shook her head in mock exasperation.

"I didn't want to destroy your beautiful wrapping job," he fanned his hand out as though he was a game show host showing off a particularly nice prize.

"Open it, idiot, before I take it back!"

"Fine, fine..."

He reached forward, slowly peeling off the tape on the side until he could slip the wrapping off the package. This left him with a brown, cardboard box that gave no indication as to what was inside. He flashed Mari a skeptical glance, half expecting something to pop out at him once he opened it - but he went ahead and did so anyway, ripping open the flap and drawing out a styrofoam holder.

As soon as he pulled the styrofoam out completely, he was able to see the gift. Sitting in the center of the packaging was a menorah - and not just any menorah. It was a completely customized menorah with each of the candle holders being the space between their Smosh Games logo and the central candle holder being the bright red joystick. He pulled it out of its bubble wrap protection to get a better look. The menorah itself was painted with a metallic shimmer and the quality of the product was definitely not cheap. He stared at it in admiration, before finally looking up.

"You got this for me?"

"Obviously if I gave it to you," Mari blew on her knuckles, brushing them off on her shirt as though to silently gloat over being the one to give him such a great present.

"This is...actually really awesome."

"Psh! Like you thought it was gonna be anything less? It was from me, after all!"

"What made you-"

She held her hand up, "I thought you could use something to represent your holiday. Do you really like it? You're not just saying that, are you?"

"No. It's great. I mean, I couldn't use it for my family's celebration. But it's perfect for here," he got up, heading toward one of the drawers and finding a lighter before he lit the center candle.

"Wait. Why are you lighting the one in the middle? Isn't that the one you light last or something?"

Matt smiled at her ignorance, shaking his head, "No. It's the shamash. You use this one to light each of the candles. Hanukkah's almost over now, so we're going to light seven candles tonight. But you would start on the right and work your way to the left each night, starting with the newest candle."

"Oh. Can I do it?"

"Have at it. We're lighting...this one," he pointed to the second to last candle, pulling the shamash free and offering it over to Mari. She took it carefully and then brought it forward, touching the flame to the wick. Matt reached out, putting his hand on hers to hold it there. "Then you recite two prayers - 'Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us with his commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah light. Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days at this time.'"

Matt helped Mari light each subsequent candle, letting his hand linger on hers until the final one was lit. Then, he guided her hand back to the center in order to return the shamash to its joystick holder, the metallic red surface glimmering with a golden tinge of flickering flame. Mari smiled, looking at their work before glancing back at him.

"That's so cool."

"Eh, well, you know. Cool pretty much defines everything about me," he made as though he was flipping up his shirt collar.

"Thanks for sharing it with me..." Mari looked up at him. She looked absolutely stunning in the dim glow of candlelight - even more so than usual.

Matt admired her before glancing away, embarrassed to be caught staring at her for too long. "I should be the one thanking you. You made it possible to share, and this really is awesome."

Mari gnawed on her bottom lip, sidling a bit closer before she bumped him with her hip, "So, are you gonna kiss me or what?"

A sound of surprise rose in his throat, and he quickly looked over at her. She gave him a sheepish smile, and it was one he couldn't resist. Matt inched closer, his lips brushing hers tentatively before they locked in place. He had fantasized about kissing her before, but now that he was in the moment, it was even better than he imagined. This was perhaps the best Hanukkah gift he had ever received, and it made this day one he would remember for a long time to come.


	5. Green (Iancorn)

_Author's Notes: Iancorn is just my guilty pleasure. I think I left this part pretty ambiguous, though. It's up to you to decide whether they're an actual item or if they're just good friends. :)_

* * *

David sat across from Ian in one of the diners near the Smosh Games office, enjoying the fattiest, greasiest burger the menu had to offer and chasing it down with some deep fried potato goodness. Yeah, he definitely wasn't the poster child for healthy eating - but that's why he was with Ian. Ian's diet was just as bad if not worse than his. Somehow eating out with Anthony or Mari made David feel guilty about his life choices by association, so whenever presented with the choice he either picked to go out with Ian, Joven, or Sohinki.

Lasercorn took one of his fries, drowning it in ketchup before cramming it in his mouth.

Ian was already done, letting out a belch of appreciation. "So should we be fat bastards and get dessert, too?"

"Why not? 'Tis the season to gain twenty pounds," David finished off his burger, licking his fingers clean and then washing it down with a gulp of coke.

"Isn't that every day, though? Why limit it to one season?"

"I wouldn't say _every day_," his expression was one of amusement. "Most days, though."

Ian pulled the dessert and coffee menu free from its spot wedged between the salt and pepper shaker before he began mulling over the choices. David leaned forward, catching an upside down view of the list - the sundae was looking very appealing. That's the thing about California. They were supposed to be past the point where ice cream was appetizing and into the stages of apple cider and hot chocolate. Don't get him wrong, California had its perks, but its perks could also be considered a flaw when the temperature hardly changed between seasons. It didn't _feel _like Christmas, no matter how many decorations went up or how many people wished him a happy holiday.

When the forth Christmas song in a row played over the diner's sound system, David groaned in annoyance causing Ian to look up.

"What's up?"

"The Christmas music. Always annoying no matter where you are, but especially annoying now."

"And now's different from any other time...how?"

David supposed Ian wouldn't understand without an explanation. He was California born and California raised. "I don't know. No matter how long I've lived out here, I just have this hard time getting into the Christmas spirit. I mean, look out the window."

He gestured toward the glass beside them, to the parking lot where the green palm trees blew gently in the breeze, and the green grass stayed green and didn't become a muddy, brown mess of death. Ian looked out at David's prompting, but it became clear he still wasn't following when he met David's gaze again, arching a brow.

Lasercorn blew out a breath, "It's just too green out there for my liking. I'm an Ohio boy. We get real winters and snowstorms and if you try to wear a T-shirt in December there, you'll probably get frostbite and your balls will fall off or something."

"Preeeetty sure T-shirt's got nothing to do with balls freezing off unless you're wearing them completely wrong."

David's brows flickered upward suggestively, "That's for me to know and you to find out."

Ian met his bluff with a teasing smirk, "Don't tempt me." He reached over, stealing one of Lasercorn's discarded fries. "Anyway, aren't you going back to Ohio in a few days?"

"I am..." he murmured thoughtfully, eyeing the too green outdoors. Then a sudden idea hit him and he looked back at Ian. "Why don't you come with me?"

Surprise caused his brow to lift, "Come with you? But won't I interrupt things with your family?"

David shook his head adamantly, "Not at all. And besides, I know you guys'll get along great. If it doesn't interfere with all your Smosh stuff, I'd love to have the company. We can sing Christmas carols on the way and be jolly."

"Only if we can ride a one-horse open sleigh the whole way there."

"You realize that it would probably take us three days to get there by sleigh?"

"Not if you attach a jet pack to it."

"Probably not legal."

"Not even if we attach a jet pack to the horse?"

"Pretty sure PETA will be on our ass if we did," David smiled with a shake of his head. "Therefore, we'll have to be discreet about it."

"Deal," Ian leaned back in his chair. "But seriously - I'm cool with it if you're cool. We have a shit ton of stuff filmed in advance to cover for December. Anthony's not gonna be around much, and I got some things I'm doing later in the month - so I think it'd be fine if I disappeared for a couple days."

"Then it's settled. It might not be Christmas yet, but with any luck, you'll be seeing some snow."

The waitress returned to take their dessert orders and left just as quickly. David couldn't help but feel grateful to be bringing company from his California home to his Ohio home. It wasn't that he minded seeing his family; he loved them and would have been perfectly content going to see them by himself. But family was family and no matter how much you loved them, they could get on your nerves. Having Ian there would make the plane ride more tolerable and give him an excuse to escape if his family became intolerable. Plus it gave him the chance to show Ian a true Christmas - at least from his own Ohio-born perspective.

And besides, in his completely biased opinion, Ohio had the absolute best Christmases - he'd fight anyone who claimed otherwise.


	6. Ice (Marishire)

Joshua didn't know what made him think going ice skating with Mari was a good idea. The only thing good about it was the fact that it was Mari who invited him - other than that, he figured he just bought himself a one-way express ticket to a world of pain. He had never skated before in his life, and considering his complete lack of grace - he was pretty sure he was going to be flailing about like a dying fish. Yet still, Mari had wanted him to come. Either she enjoyed his company or she was a sadist, and Joshua thought either one was plausible.

Even so, there was something nice about being in an oversized freezer - something that felt like what Joshua's idea of winter would be. The arena itself was indoors, and strands of red and green garland were draped around the outside of the rink - a few wreaths becoming symmetrical centerpieces where the two colors collided. Christmas lights hung around the bathroom doors and wound their way along poles in the sitting area where people occupied the benches to either put on or take off their skates. To set the mood and fill the rink with even more Christmas magic, there were holiday tunes blasting merrily on the radio.

Joshua loved this time of year, never getting tired of hearing about Rudolph and his red nose or Frosty's corn cob pipe. In his experience, there were two types of people - people who loved Christmas or people who loathed everything associated with it except the holiday itself. He definitely knew several of the latter type - most of his friends from Smosh Games, in fact. Some people may have thought it was childish to never lose the glee the holidays brought about, but Joshua never claimed to be the poster child for maturity.

So the atmosphere here? Fantastic. The actual skating part? Joshua was pretty damn apprehensive about that. He sat on the bench, taking his time tightening his laces. At first, Mari seemed to be willing to give him that time, but when it became obvious he was stalling, her patience ran thin and she planted her hands on her hips, hovering over him.

"Alright. You've stalled enough. C'mon, Joven. Up!" She latched her hands around his arm, pulling upward.

If Joshua wanted to, he would have been able to outpower her by simply staying seated. And for a moment, he contemplated it. But he gave in, letting his reluctance be known, "I don't see why I should be hurrying up to break my leg."

She laughed, "You're _not _gonna break your leg. Come on, you pansy!"

"You are severely overestimating my coordination," he had a hard time walking on solid ground in skates; he dreaded thinking about what would happen when he hit the slick ice.

"Give me your hands..." Mari reached out, curling her fingers around his and walking backwards toward the ice.

"Wait, wait, wait! I'm not ready," Joshua protested as she stepped on the rink. "Do they have training wheels or something?"

"Quit whining, you big baby. It's not hard," she glided backward and he had no choice but to either join her or let her go.

Feeling a bit safer with Mari leading the way, he followed her. His eyes clenched when his skates touched the ice and he expected to fall down immediately, but somehow or another, he managed to keep upright. One eye opened, followed by the other, watching as Mari slowly guided them out to the middle. He laughed in disbelief, looking down at their feet and seeing the little trails their toe picks made in the ice.

"I'm doing it! I'm actually doing it!"

"Told you," Mari smiled, coming to a halt once they reached the center of the rink. She let go of his hands, skating a couple paces away.

Joshua nearly fell when he lost her support, "H-hey! Wait! Where are you going?"

"Taking the training wheels off. Now come on. Skate to me..." she held her arms open.

"You're doing it all wrong! This isn't taking the training wheels off! This is throwing me out of the nest and expecting me to fly!"

"Not fly. Glide," Mari teased and skated a circle around him to demonstrate before coming back to her original position.

"I'm a leaf on the wind," Joven took one stride forward, holding out his arms. "I'm a leaf on the-" His arms flailed as he lost his balance, but managed to remain upright. "-w-wind. I'm a-"

And that was it. His legs slipped out from beneath him and he fell on his ass, skidding across the ice and nearly bowling Mari over. Fortunately she was actually good at skating, so she got out of the way - laughing at his expense. Joshua had to laugh, too. Sure, his butt hurt but he could definitely see the comedy in it.

"You're a leaf on the ground, shit on by some passing dog," Mari skated over to him, reaching out her hands again to help him up.

He regarded her and then made a face, reaching up to take her hands and then pull her down atop him. She let out a sound of surprise, crashing into him, and the pair sat there, laughing hysterically - with a walrus laugh and everything. Joven doubted he would even be able to get up, but with Mari by his side it didn't matter. Together they could either conquer the world or fail miserably, and it would still be the adventure of a lifetime.


	7. Snowflake (Iancorn)

_Author's Notes: These are just getting shorter and shorter orz. I'm sorry! lol writing a chapter a day is harder than I thought. But eh well. Have another Iancorn!_

* * *

"It's fucking freezing! Why didn't you warn me Ohio would suck?"

David and Ian had only just gotten off the plane and Ian was already complaining. An amused expression crossed David's face and he tucked his hands in his pockets. "Uh, I think my question when we were leaving was warning enough. I said, and I quote, 'that jacket you're wearing looks pretty light. You sure you don't wanna put on something heavier?'"

Ian sulked, tucking down deeper into his jacket, "You should've told me I was going to Antarctica."

"This is hardly Antarctica," David walked out of the main entrance of the airport, readjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder. "This is actually pretty mild for Ohio."

"Mild, he says! I can see my breath!" Ian huffed a cloud of air, watching it disperse in front of him.

"I'm not listening. Your complaints are invalid. You chose to wear your California jacket," David smirked. "You thought you were a man who could handle whatever the temperature threw at you."

"Well, I didn't expect Antarctica for one thing. And I'm pretty sure you gotta be some kind of superhuman to be able to withstand this shit," he countered.

"Shh! You can't let my secret out."

"Oh it's getting out alright. Sending my mass text right now," Ian pulled out his phone, but as soon as he touched the screen - something wet landed on the center of it, melting immediately. He blinked and looked up.

"Hey - it's snowing," David stepped further into the flurry of snowflakes, holding his hands out to catch a few in his palms.

"It is," he remarked idly - no longer complaining about the cold.

Lasercorn moved toward Ian, nudging him with his elbow, "Still regret coming along?"

Ian was silent for a moment before he shook his head, "Wouldn't mind actually getting inside to watch it from there, though. I can't really feel my nose. Why are we walking anyway?"

"Psh, this coming from the guy who proposed the idea of traveling via one horse open sleigh."

"Uh...with a jet pack up the horse's ass. That would've blasted us straight through."

"If it didn't blast the horse and cover us in horse parts first."

"Snow, frozen horse blood...same difference, right?" Ian's eyes lingered on the flakes as they drifted so quietly in front of his face. "Would've been festive either way."

Lasercorn rubbed his hands together with a malicious grin, "Now we're talking my kind of holiday..."

They rounded the corner and that was when David decided to put Ian out of his misery, hailing a cab. They dumped their backpacks into the trunk before clambering into the vehicle. Ian seemed immediately grateful for the warmth, shuddering and rubbing his hands together to heat himself up faster. David leaned in to give their destination to the driver before he sat back, looking over at Ian who was looking out the window. Snow began to fall faster, flakes melding together to create a dusting of white on the grass.

"You boys aren't gonna wanna go anywhere tonight," the driver remarked - his worn windshield wipers scraping the window when they cleared the snow away. "Supposed to be a pretty big storm."

"Really? It's a good thing we got in before the worst of it hit," David glanced over at Ian to get his opinion - only to see him drawing penises in the fogged up window.

Feeling eyes on him, Ian stopped what he was doing and gave Lasercorn his attention, "Oh. Yeah. Definitely a good thing. Plane delays are the worst." He acted so innocent for someone who had just defiled the car.

David smiled and shook his head, the amusement lingering in his comment, "I'm glad you came with me, Ian."

"Well, thanks for inviting me, man. Gotta admit, the snow does make it feel a little more like Christmas."

"Right? This is what all the Christmas songs are about."

"I don't think they're about Ohio."

"Well they should be, damnit!"

"No one would like Christmas if they were - except maybe you and probably Joven still."

The car slowed, coming to a stop outside of their hotel and Ian looked very much like he dreaded facing the cold again. David gave him a face that pretty told him to man up before he reached in his pocket, paying the driver and tipping him generously ('tis the season). He got out and collected his bag. Ian joined him near the trunk, grabbing his own things and wearing a disgruntled expression as snow kept pelting him in the face.

David had to laugh at his current state, "You look like a cat who just got shoved in the bath."

Ian shook his head, freeing a few snowflakes that decided to cling to his hair, "I feel like it. I don't know how I feel about this snow thing."

"It'll be better from inside - with some hot chocolate and an even bigger window to draw penises on. C'mon, let's go..." David urged him to follow, leaving little footprints behind in the mostly untouched snow.


	8. Gingerbread (Kalanthony)

Kalel seemed like a woman on a mission, bustling around the kitchen and laying ingredients out on the counter. As always, whenever anything exciting was going on, Buki and Pip weren't too far away - willing to offer their 'help' which usually turned into a disaster. Anthony stumbled out of the bedroom, only half awake and mostly nude - he managed to have thrown on a pair of boxers just in case Kalel was filming or something, though.

Anthony brushed past her on the way to the fridge, planting a passing kiss on her cheek before he sought out the orange juice, "Mornin'."

Kalel leaned into the little peck, smiling at him - bright-eyed and definitely more awake than he was, "Mornin', sleepyhead. Have a good sleep?"

"It was too short," he was about to drink straight from the carton, but the look Kalel gave him made him think better of his decision. Anthony reached into the nearest cupboard and got a glass. "What're you doing?"

"Well...since you know how awesome I am at baking, I decided to wake up bright and early and put my awesome skills to the test," she tried to keep a straight face, but had to laugh. No, she wasn't serious at all. Sure, she had baked before and those things came out pretty decent, but she was, by no means, a master. "Actually, someone sent me a recipe for vegan gingerbread cookies. I thought I'd try it out."

"Sounds like breakfast," Anthony took a sip of his orange juice. "Anything I can do to help out?"

"Since you so kindly offered, you can mix the dough once we get all the ingredients in there," Kalel smiled sweetly. "I just had my nails done for the holiday. I don't wanna be getting bits of cookie in them."

"Ugh, so shallow," Anthony rolled his eyes in mock disgust. She swatted him playfully. "Ow, hey! So alright. What's step one?"

"Step one is you watching the cats while I put all the ingredients in the bowl. Pip already seems like he wants to make some pawprints in everything."

"But he just wants to decorate his own. Isn't that right, Pip?" Anthony went to the cat in question and scooped the oversized kitten up, draping him over his shoulders. Pip stood there for about ten seconds before he jumped off.

Kalel shook her head, "I don't know where those paws have been. It'd be fine if he knew the proper etiquette and washed his paws before preparing food. But he doesn't, isn't that right, Sir Pip?" To answer herself, Kalel slipped into her Pip voice. "I dunno whatch'you're talkin' about, Mommy. I'm just a cat. I think my toes are pretty clean. I can lick them cleaner if you want, though. So can I help? Can I? Can I? Ooo, whassat? Daddy's got my favorite toy!"

Anthony had a mouse toy by the tail, dangling it in front of Pip. Operation distract Pip away from Kalel seemed to be a success when he bounded after the toy, leaping up to snag it from Anthony before darting off under the couch. Anthony grinned, giving Buki a pat on the rump before making his way back over to Kalel. He watched as she read the recipe, adding each of the ingredients in succession before she slid the bowl to him. Anthony started to mix it up - first with a spoon and then when the dough got a bit harder to stir, he used his hands. Afterward, they dumped the dough onto the counter and Kalel rolled it out before wrapping it up in saran wrap.

"I got all sorts of things to decorate them with after they're finished baking - frostings, gumdrops, little candies. If you're not busy, we could make it a thing to do together," Kalel suggested with a hopeful smile.

"It just so happens that I am not busy today, but I do wanna grab a shower first. Should we film it for WULAS?"

"The shower?" Kalel smirked.

"Yes. The shower," Anthony deadpanned, but then cracked a smile. "Imagine how fast we'd get banned."

"But I'm sure there'd be some very happy people first," she giggled.

"True, true. But I meant filming the cookie decorating, pervert."

"Heeey, you're way worse than me! You were the one who suggested it in the first place," she poked fun at him, but then tapped her chin, "Hmm. We probably should film it, but then again they missed out on the mixing and prepping part. Maybe we should spare them the horribly decorated gingerbread men and give them a real prize by making another gingerbread house."

"Oh yeah. There you go. I wonder if we can get it to stand on its own," Anthony laughed at the memory of their disaster.

"I don't even know how they thought it was physically possible to put that thing together. The roof was waaay too top heavy," she popped the dough in the fridge.

Anthony quirked a brow when the cookies went in the fridge instead of the oven, "You're not making them now?"

"The recipe says to," she finger quoted, "'chill the batter for an hour' before you cut out the cookie shapes."

"Wow that batter be so chill."

"Yo," she struck her best gangster pose.

"Sooooo," Anthony scooted closer, his brows flickering upward in suggestion. "We have an hour, annnd I did want to go get a shower, so whaddya say we-?"

Kalel smiled, taking a bit of flour on her index finger and tapping his nose with it, "I think you have a brilliant suggestion, my friend."

He wrinkled his nose, going cross-eyed to look at the mess she made on his face before he beamed, "Alright. I'll get the water started. Don't be long!"

He headed around the corner, his arms jutting in the air like a man who had just scored the winning touchdown. Kalel had to laugh, shaking her head. She honestly hoped Anthony would never grow up.


	9. Snowman (Iancorn)

_Author's Notes: This is the last in the Ohio Iancorn saga. They might have one more chapter toward the end where I indulge and make them romantic, buuut for now they're done._

* * *

They weren't kidding when they said Ohio was going to get a snowstorm. By the time it had finished, there were six inches of snow on the ground. Ian and David had stayed in the hotel for the duration of it, waiting for the snow to stop and the roads to be cleared before they headed over to David's parents' house. Just as David had thought, Ian fit in with his family perfectly. His blend of humor (though toned down) was right up to par with the rest of the Moss clan, so naturally they loved him and because they loved him, they stuffed him full of all sorts of holiday treats.

Their trip was winding down to its end, though, but before they had their final visits, they had a little bit of down time. David suggested they go to the park and build a snowman because he was pretty sure Ian had never built a snowman in his life. Ian agreed, but only on the terms that David acquire him proper winter attire. So he borrowed a coat and gloves from his cousin who was around Ian's size - and all bundled up, the pair headed to a part of the park where the snow was relatively untouched.

"Alright, so if we're building Frosty, we start with his balls, right?" Ian was already starting with the ball jokes.

"Well, if you wanna get technical - he's made of balls. Balls are pretty much what he is. And all snowmen for that matter," David collected a bit of snow in his gloves, patting it into a round shape.

"They do lead pretty awesome, though short, lives."

David shook his head with a smile, "Help me roll these balls."

"So demanding, Lasercorn. I like it," Ian plastered on a cheesy grin, offering an overexaggerated wink. "Alright. Let me cup those balls in my meaty hands."

"But, Ian, I thought we could do it together..." David looked at him, wounded.

"Of course we can!" Ian clapped him on the shoulder. "Show me your best ball rolling technique."

"I wouldn't really call it a technique," he chuckled, dropping his premade snowball onto the ground before he began to roll it. "We just have to build it up until we have one, giant ball."

"Got it..." Ian saluted, moving forward to assist David when the base of their snowman got large enough for two people to handle.

Together, they created the sections of the snowman, stacking them one on top of the other. With the 'skeleton' completed, all that was left was to embellish it with humanoid traits.

"I don't suppose you brought your bag of coal with you?" Ian folded his arms.

"No, sorry. Left it at home. We can finger out some holes for the eyes, though," David plunged his finger into the head, hollowing it out.

"Mmm. Oh yeah. Work that hole," Ian commented, collecting some snow in his hands and packing it together.

"I know how to do it right," Lasercorn grinned with a cocky wink, working on the nose once the eyes were done.

"I'm totally jelly," Ian set his snowball to the side and began to work on another one.

"What're you doing over there?"

Ian looked up at the question before he grabbed his two snowballs and then planted them right where the crotch of the snowman would be, "Making a man outta this snowman."

David stared at it before he burst into a laugh, "One is totally lopsided. Oh! Oh, it's falling off! It's totally falling off!"

"Noooo! I told you not this is what happens when you buy hookers from the dollar store!" Ian darted forward, trying to save the ball before it plopped onto the ground. He missed, though, and it dropped and exploded into a pile of mushy snow. They both stared at it and Ian frowned.

David broke the silence, "Bomb's away. Or should I say 'ball's away'?"

"Guess the snowman just has one ball. It's cool, bro. I know the feel," Ian went over and put his arm around the snowman.

And that was when the entire thing collapsed. For a moment, Ian looked completely stunned. David, however, laughed the entire time. "Guess that's what happens when you buy hookers from the dollar store, yeah?"

Ian scratched the side of his head idly, looking at the mess of snow at his feet, "Guess so. I warned him, but I suppose this is a life lesson for all the kids out there. It might seem like a good idea at the time, but then you just die in a pile of your own mushy insides. How do you think Frosty went?"

"And this is how we defile Christmas. Anyway, are we done with the snowman thing or do you wanna try again? We could make a girl and see how big we can make her tits?"

"Ooo, I like that idea. Let's do that!"

"You mean you aren't freezing your balls off and wanna go back inside yet?"

"They already froze off when we first got here, so I'm good. Is that what happened to you, Lasercorn? You froze them off and were able to withstand winter from then on?"

"I've got both of my balls, thank you very much. But I guess coming from Ohio just automatically gives you a bigger pair."

"Bigger targets for shooting, though."

"Maybe, but someone would have a hard time getting me before I got them there first."

"That's true. You're a master marksman when it comes to ball shots."

"Indeed I am. Many years of practice."

The second snowman took less time to make and they were finished before they knew it. The pair of them stood back to admire their work before looking at each other.

"Well, I think this sums up our trip perfectly," Ian nodded.

"Definitely," David wore a little smile - glad to have had this opportunity to spend with Ian. "Should we head back?"

"Yeah. Our work is done here, I think."

The pair walked off together, leaving behind their snow(wo)man and her giant snowy breasts. Written on her bottom layer, like an artist leaving their signature were the simple words: Team Iancorn - leaving their legacy behind...at least until the snow melted.


	10. Holiday (Marishire)

Joshua already had a few bags in hand by the time he headed to the food court to meet Mari. He had asked her to go Christmas shopping with him, hoping to acquire some things to decorate the office with as well as get her advice on things to get the Smosh guys. She knew them better and for far longer than he had, and Joshua really wanted to show his appreciation to them this year. Ian and Anthony had changed his life - giving him an amazing opportunity to do what he loved and make money while doing it. Every day he went to work, he pretty much hung out with his friends on camera and it was awesome. Sure, it had been his career for a long time. But neither of his other two channels got the amount of views and money as SmoshGames had - so he owed them big.

When Joshua saw Mari, she had a shopping bag of her own in one hand and a cup of bubbletea in the other, the tea mostly gone leaving only the boba behind which she was currently slurping up through her straw. Joshua sometimes wished she wouldn't do things like that in front of him, and paused to awkwardly shift his jeans - holding his bags in front of himself before offering her a smile. She half waved with the hand holding the bags and stopped in front of him.

"Alright. Onward," Mari gestured forward. "The trick to Ian and Anthony is getting them something they want, but they don't know they want because they'll just buy what they want. You know?"

"I thiink I get it?" Joshua took a moment to go over what she said and make sure he followed it. "Except I don't really at all. How do you know what they want?"

"You're pretty hopeless, Joven. Fortunately, you asked me for help - so you're not an entirely lost cause."

"Thanks, I guess? I'm not sure if that was a compliment or not."

Mari smiled up at him sweetly, saying nothing either way as she dumped her cup in the garbage and then used the now free hand to link around his arm. She led him into the first store - a toy store as a matter of fact.

"How much did you want to get for them, anyway?"

"It's not a matter of quantity - more about quality. I want to give them something meaningful, something that shows my appreciation, you know? I mean, I don't wanna be a sap - but those guys have done so much for my life. And I..." he trailed off, shyly admitting. "I got to meet you on top of it all. And Wes. And everyone associated with Smosh which is a bunch of really cool people."

The expression on her face was warm, "Aww, Joven. Stop. You're gonna make me cry gooey tears of happiness." She shoulder bumped him. "And for the record, I'm really glad I met you too. Even if you can be a complete lamewad and a creep."

"Again, not sure whether those are compliments..."

"So we're in this freakin' huge toy store..."

"And now you're changing the topic..."

"Can you think of anything you'd wanna get them here?"

"We can check out the videogame section, I guess...?"

Mari shook her head, making an 'X' with her arms, "Nope! Too predictable. And besides, what can you get them from there that they either don't own already or won't play at some point on our channel? Think outside the box. Ian and Anthony are basically overgrown kids - so what do adults like to play with?"

"Dildos?"

She slapped his arm, hard.

"Ow, hey! You asked! It was the first thing that came to my mind!"

"This is why the creep comment," Mari shook her head with a smile, heading over to the board game section. She scoured the titles before picking one out at random that seemed to be geared toward adults. "This one seems promising - not to mention, it goes with the gamer theme. What do you think?"

Joshua juggled the bags until he managed to have his hands free enough to take the box from her. He read the instructions on the back before nodding, "Well. You're the expert, and this is a good start."

She beamed proudly, "Anything else you want from here or should we move on to store two?"

"I can't think of anything, so unless you have more great suggestions..."

"I might, but I think we should look elsewhere. You don't want to spend too much in here only to find the perfect thing in some other store, yeah?"

"Agreed."

They made their way toward the check out line - and what a line it was. People wound around the corner with one worker policing the line just to direct them to a cashier when one lane cleared out enough for more people. Traffic control in stores - only during the holidays. Some children were screaming, adults argued, and nobody seemed very happy to be there. Nobody except him and Mari. C'mon, it was Christmas. He had an amazing life and he was spending the day with an amazing girl. What was there to get upset about? So while most of the people there were filled with impatience, Joshua didn't mind the wait. He chatted idly with Mari until they reached the front of the pre-checkout line, being guided toward lane number seven. Lucky seven.

Joshua headed in that direction, placing the board game on the conveyor belt as the woman in front of him was in the process of paying for her things. She was older, a bit worn around the edges, wearing clothing that, although not entirely disheveled, appeared run down or second hand. She only had a few items - a stuffed teddy bear, a toy firetruck, and a bright orange bouncy ball. The cashier told her the price, and so the woman rummaged around in her change purse, dumping coins onto the counter and beginning to count through them - once, twice, three times.

"Ma'am, I'm gonna need you to pay. We have a line," said the cashier.

"But I-" she balked. "I thought I had enough. I'm only short two dollars. I just lost my job, and I want to get something for my kids for Christmas. Can you let it slide? Or can I pay you back? I promise I'll come back."

"No, I'm afraid not. I can take something off for you if you want..."

She became more distraught, looking over the items before solemnly handing over the bouncy ball. Before the cashier could take it, though, Joshua put his hand on the woman's - pushing it away from the clerk as he stepped in.

"Excuse me, how much was the purchase altogether?" He had his wallet in hand.

The woman stared at him in shock, but it was the cashier who answered, "$27.54."

Joshua reached in his wallet, pulling out a hundred dollar bill and handing it to the worker. When the worker went to give him back the change, though, he shook his hand in protest, "No. That's her change."

"I can't possibly-" she began to protest.

"Everyone deserves a good Christmas, ma'am. Take it and get something special for yourself and your kids."

She seemed reluctant, but eventually decided to accept his kindness, "Thank you, sir. Thank you so very much. God bless you." There were tears in her eyes as she placed the money in her purse and collected her bags.

"No problem. Happy Holidays!" He called after her with a grin before turning his attention back to Mari.

"That was really nice of you," Mari commented, touched by Joshua's kindness.

"Eh," he shrugged. "I'm sure you would've done the same thing. We've been blessed to have money and great paying jobs. Not everyone is so lucky, so if I can share some of what I have with the less fortunate and make their day a little brighter, it's worth it."

Mari said nothing, but she cuddled up against his arm, and Joshua thought this was the icing on a wonderful feelings cake.


	11. Presents (Kaloey?)

_Author's Notes: I've watched a few of Joey Graceffa's things and do like some of the Shoey vids, but I won't claim to be the most knowledgeable person in the world when it comes to him. I just love his friendship with Kalel and Anthony from what I've seen of it, so I thought I would include him as Kalel's go-to guy for Anthony shopping. No romantic shipping in this chapter. Just sailing the friendship boat. :)  
_

* * *

Anthony was probably the absolute most difficult person to shop for. Kalel didn't even know where to start when it came to picking out gifts. Sure, she could find things she thought would look good on him, but there was no guarantee he would like it. She could also find things she liked FOR him, but again, there was no telling if he would even want those things. Kalel had faith in his ability to pretend to like something, but she could always tell. He got a certain spark in his eye when he got something he really wanted.

So she took on this difficult task of shopping for her soon-to-be-in-a-year husband, but she definitely wasn't doing it alone. Joey Graceffa had been a good friend of theirs for a while. He might not have been Ian's status of bestie with Anthony, but he knew him well enough. It also helped that he was a guy. Kalel trusted his opinions, not to mention Joey confessed he hadn't even begun Christmas shopping - so it really was the ideal time to drag him out to start while systematically having him help her. They won either way.

"So my first thought is clothes. I mean, I love Anthony dearly but he definitely doesn't know how to dress himself," Kalel laughed. "If it was up to him, it'd be T-shirt and the same pair of jeans every day. And then days he feels like dressing up, he'll toss a flannel shirt over top."

"Shoot. That boy needs some clothing 101. Why are you slacking on that? Aren't you supposed to be the fashionista of the relationship?" Joey accused.

"Hey, now. There've been _some _improvements. It's a difficult case."

"Psh, giiiiiirl. You have one job."

Kalel held her hand up, planting it on the side of Joey's face and pushing it away lightly, her voice rich with attitude, "Whatever." She came to a halt outside a trendy clothing store. "Ooo. Let's go in here."

The pair entered the store and immediately headed over to the men's section. Joey became distracted looking for things for himself and while they had a few exchanges over whether some things would look good on Anthony, for the most part they came out empty handed. They browsed a few more stores in this manner - and in some, Joey had luck finding things for people on his shopping list. Of course, Joey had it a little easier since he had a couple people to shop for (none of them being the most impossible-to-shop-for-guy).

It was only a few hours in and Kalel was already willing to give up, dragging her feet along to each store. Maybe she could make something for him. She was about to voice her thoughts aloud to Joey when something gleaming caught her eye. She stopped in her tracks and backed up toward the jewelry store window, looking at the display case of sparkling gems and glittering diamonds. In the necklace section, her eyes zeroed in on one in particular. It was a silver chain giving way to a silver based dragon with green emerald pieces encrusted along it as scales and garnets for eyes. The dragon's body was wound around a large, sapphire orb - Anthony's birthstone.

"Joey! What do you think of this?" She waved him over to join her.

He backtracked to her side, looking at the overwhelming gleam in the cases, "Whoa. That's a whole lot of bling."

"The necklace. This one, with the dragon. Do you think Anthony would like it?"

Joey studied it for a moment, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Well, I personally think it's cool, so if he doesn't - you can just regift it to me."

She made a face at him, "Seriously."

He sighed, "Alright, seriously? I think he'd love it, but it might be a little too fancy for him. I mean, when would he wear it? You'd have to go out and make special occasions just for him to have a reason to put it on."

Kalel chewed on her lip, "You're probably right. But it's the only thing I've seen that seems like it suits him."

"How about this? You stop thinking about what suits him and start thinking from here," Joey reached down, planting his hand on her chest.

She looked down at his hand and then back up at him with an upraised brow, "My boob?"

"Your heart!"

"Honey, my heart's on the other side..."

A slightly embarrassed expression crossed his face, "I-I knew that!"

Kalel couldn't help the small smile that crossed her face, linking her arm around his waist, "And this is why I love you." Her head rested on his shoulder momentarily before she branched off. "And also why I brought you with me, so you can put things into perspective."

"Well, I know you well enough by now to know you overthink everything. This holiday's supposed to be about the giving, and whatever present you get for him, he'll love it because you were the one to give it to him, yeah? So why not just wrap yourself up in a bow and give him some fantastic sex?"

"You might just be onto something," she waved her finger in his direction before she skipped a few steps forward, whirling around in a swish of hair and fabric. "Should we move forward?"

"Mmm...actually, I think I might wanna check out this store if you don't mind."

She rushed back, "I was totally thinking the same thing. Let's go!"

And they both bounded into the jewelry store, Kalel eternally grateful to have one of her best friends by her side for this shopping adventure.


	12. Decoration (Jovinkicorn)

_Author's Notes: Hahaha, so these next couple chapters are gonna be super shorties. Work has been keeping me really busy. Two girls in my department just up and quit, so I've been taking on a crazy workload. But this is another friendship one. Jovinkicorn bromance! _

* * *

Twas two weeks before Christmas, and all through the game, people were getting shot in the balls and Lasercorn was to blame.

David and Matt were shooting an episode of Dope or Nope on the latest Halo release for Xbox One before Joshua came bursting through the door, carrying a few boxes in his arms. Both looked up at him briefly, but decided he didn't deserve that much attention so they went back to their game, playing through until they gave it a resounding and overall rating of Dope. With that taken care of, David rolled away from the desk, swiveling his chair around to face Josh who was tearing through the foam protection in the boxes.

"Whaddya got there, Joven?" He canted his head in question.

Joshua looked up and then grinned, unearthing a box of Christmas lights, "A way to liven up the room."

Matt looked over his shoulder and then rolled his eyes, "No. No to the Christmas stuff. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"C'mon, Sohinki! I'm not asking to put a tree in the middle of the room. Just hang some lights. You don't have anything against lights, do you? I mean, the whole point of Hannukah is to light lights, right?"

"Different lights. And that's not the only point of it, and it doesn't matter what I say - you're gonna do it regardless, aren't you?"

The grin on Joshua's face was indicative of his answer, because yes, he'd already made up his mind. Matt rolled his eyes in annoyance, grabbed his headphones and shoved them on his ears before turning his full attention to a game. David looked between the pair of them before he got up and walked over to Joshua.

"So, want some help?"

Joven grinned when Lasercorn offered his assistance, nodding and handing off a string of lights. Together, the pair of them went to work, giving the Smosh Games room a little splash of Christmas. When they were done, and it really didn't take very long, they plugged it in - filling the room with color. Joshua nodded his approval before he reached into his bag, putting a little Rudolph plushie at his computer, pressing the button that made its nose light up and the theme song start playing.

"Now it's starting to feel like Christmas," Joshua smiled at his glowing decoration.

"Bah humbug," Matt grumbled from his seat, cranking the volume on the computer even more.

"Seems like even Sohinki's getting into the spirit," David folded his arms, grinning over at their friend.

"Yeah. He fits the role of Scrooge perfectly," Joshua laughingly went over to Matt, clapping his hands on his shoulders and shaking him a bit.

"You're just being annoying now," Matt continued to click through the controls.

"C'mon, Lasercorn, I still have a couple things we can put out front." Joven grabbed his box and headed toward the main room.

David looked over at Matt, offered him a helpless shrug and then went to join Joshua. Matt would only have to put up with it for a couple weeks. Until then, it was time to amp up their Smoshmas.


	13. Love (Kalanthony)

_Author's Notes: ughh, I'm embarrassed by how short this is, lol. Sorry! I think it gets the point across, though, even despite the length. Anyway, hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Kalel made a bowl of popcorn, bringing it out to the living room where Anthony sat on the couch. She climbed onto the seat, curling up beside him with her head on his shoulder and the bowl between them. Anthony raised one arm to tuck it around her shoulders while his free hand reached for a few kernels - tossing them in his mouth. They had set the day aside to watch all sorts of Christmas claymations and cartoons - making it a holiday medley of all the classics - starting with Rudolph.

The music began to play, and part way into the opening Buki hopped up onto the couch to join them. Around the time they wouldn't let Rudolph play any reindeer games, Pip was there as well - one cat curled against Kalel while the other situated itself by Anthony. Kalel snuggled in against her fiancée, reaching a hand over to stroke Buki's fur as she purred herself to sleep. The other hand was used to pop a few pieces of popcorn into her mouth. She spared a glance at Anthony's side and saw Pip sprawled out across his feet. She had to smile to herself. They were like one big, happy family.

With a contented sigh, her attention returned to the tv for a moment, but then veered off to the glimmering Christmas tree and all the various decorations that gave the room a holiday feel. It felt so nice to be in this moment, to be in a place she called home with the person (and animals) she loved the most. Everything present was the very definition of love - with a little bit of holiday magic sprinkled in to make it even more special. Overwhelmed by the emotion, she tilted her head toward Anthony - taking in the sight of his face, made even more attractive by the low glow of Christmas lights. It took him a second to realize he was being watched, but eventually he turned his attention to her - head canting curiously.

She didn't have to say anything, though, for him to understand. The clarity came over his face and the answering response was a warmed over expression that basically told it all - he felt the same way and loved her too. With a sparkle of happiness behind her eyes, Kalel reached up - cupping his jaw and drawing him into a kiss. This was how she hoped all of their holidays would be from now until forever.


	14. Family (Ianthony)

_Author's Notes: Sooo more friendship! I thought Ian and Anthony would be befitting for the family category. And also - to guest A: don't worry! There will be more Marhinki to come. I have like...11 more chapters to write. So there are plenty of more opportunities! Haha, I'm not writing this in any real pairing order. Just whatever pairing strikes me with the prompt word. But it should be even in the end! Promise!_

* * *

After knowing each other for so long and being close for so many years, Ian and Anthony pretty much considered each other family. And their respective families considered the other one almost like an adopted son as well, so it became tradition that Anthony would come to dinner with Ian's family one day during the holiday season while Ian would go to dinner with Anthony's family on another. Today happened to be Anthony's turn to visit, so he had left Los Angeles bright and early in the morning (ten o'clock which was early for him), and made it to Sacramento by three. He parked at the Smosh house, which was like his second home, bringing a few gifts inside with him - gifts for Ian's family, but not Ian. He would see Ian closer to Christmas, so he could give him his present then.

Anthony headed inside without knocking, kicking his shoes off at the door, "Honey, I'm home."

"About time. I was beginning to wonder if you got kidnapped," Ian stepped out of the back, sweeping his bangs up and over into their typical bowl shape.

"It was a close call, but I managed to fight the robot ninjas off," Anthony stepped in and then plopped down on the couch. "What time are we heading over?"

"Around four would probably be good. You know my Mom. She likes to make sure we're all situated a couple hours before dinner..."

"Yeah, I know how I situated your mom last night," Anthony teased.

Ian rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Can you believe it's Christmas already? Twenty thirteen just flew by, man."

"I know, right? And so much has happened..."

Ian disappeared into the kitchen to grab a couple sodas before he came back into the living room, flopping beside Anthony and offering one in his direction, "But a lot has stayed the same."

A small smile creased his lips as he reached over to accept the offered beverage, "Yeah."

And it was true. Anthony may have gotten engaged this year, made a lot of new friends, and ascended to a new level of success - but he and Ian remained best friends. Most people lost touch with their high school friends, claiming they will always be close forever but most of the time, they went to college and then their own separate ways in life. He and Ian remained just as close now as they were then - like family. And Anthony was sure they would always remain close, like family.

He reached over, tapping his can against Ian's in an unspoken toast, tilting it back to chug a little, "So I got your Mom a new cutting board and knife set. I thought she could use some more deadly weapons in her house, ya know?"

"Great idea. Arm her. She always needs more things to potentially stab my Dad with," Ian pursed his lips in thought. "But yeah, should be good. She's always cooking stuff, so I assume any present that has to do with cooking is good for her."

"Geesh, man. Try to be a little more present in your Mom's life. Find out what she likes. What'd you wind up getting her?"

"Uhhh...an electric blanket? A new phone because she's using ancient technology - like from the 90's ancient. And a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble."

"Not terrible, but not very personalized either."

"Well, Sir Judge A Lot, she's practically your Mom too and you got her knives, so we're even."

"Maybe they're each engraved with her favorite sayings or quotes. Maybe they each have a personalized picture of me on each of them. Did you ever think of that?"

"Are you seriously trying to one up me here?" Ian realized what he said and pinched his nose afterward, holding out his hand. "Wait, no. Don't-"

And Anthony of course had to go there, "I always put one up your Mom."

He groaned when Anthony did the obvious, slugging him in the arm roughly though with no resentful strings attached. It was more a punch because Anthony was lame and predictable than one because Ian was actually offended. It took a lot to offend Ian, after all. But that's why Anthony got along with him so well. There was literally nothing he could say that would hurt or upset Ian which was a good foundation for their friendship.

They were silent for a moment, and Anthony decided to sober up and get a little serious, if not a bit sappy, "You know, Ian..."

"Oh god, here we go," Ian teased, rolling his eyes.

"Don't ruin the moment before it even happens," Anthony return punched Ian in the shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. Just say it already..."

"I feel like I need to be drunk to say it now. I can't perform under all this pressure," he smiled, rubbing the back of his neck idly. "But seriously - I'm grateful for you, that we've been friends so long and that you've kind of hit this point where you've become family..."

"Uh, yeah. Obviously. I mean, wasn't that a thing that happened the first time you got dragged over to Christmas dinner? And that was waaay back in the day, so geesh, tell me something I don't know, Anthony," Ian said the words fondly.

He might not have been nearly as sappy as Anthony, but Anthony understood it without needing clarification. Ian felt the same way. Ian was grateful the same way. And they were each others favorite brother from another mother.


	15. Dinner (Kalanthony)

_Author's Notes: So this chapter and the next two are the only ones that will have any sort of continuity. It will all be a continuation of the party, so they all go together like some extended one shot haha. I'm also semi stuck on ideas for the prompts: 'Santa' and 'Stocking', so if you guys have any suggestions or pairings you'd want to see for them, I would totally appreciate it if you let me know! I have a general idea of what I want to do for all the other words, but those ones I'm just like scratching my head. Anyway, thanks a bunch for reading and enjoy! _

* * *

Kalel was going a little crazy in the kitchen. What did you make for your non-vegan friends when you were vegan yourself? She searched for recipes, spent hours on the internet finding things she was sure would be a hit, and then started cooking at noon for the party at six. It wasn't anything altogether large - just a few of their closest friends: Ian, Mari, Joey, and the guys from Smosh Games - but Kalel was obsessed with making things perfect. Call it a character flaw.

Anthony had been lazing around most of the day and as it got closer to time for people to arrive, he poked his head into the kitchen, "Need any help?"

"Can you set the table and put out the salad?"

"Set the table and put out the salad. Got it. Where's the salad?"

"It's right there on the counter," Kalel took a break from stirring the sizzling pan to point her wooden spoon in the vicinity of the salad.

Anthony looked around before locating it, carrying the bowl out to the table in the dining room. He returned to get a few plates, pausing to press a kiss to the side of Kalel's head, "You're doing a great job, babe. Everything smells amazing."

She laughed, "I just hope it's as good as it smells. You think they're gonna like it?"

"As long as it doesn't _taste _like it's vegan. And as long as you have plenty of Christmas cookies for them to gorge on, too. I think they'd be pretty pissed if they came to a party and there wasn't any," he finger quoted. "'Junk food.'"

"Well, we got plenty of crap for them to fill themselves up with. Oh! And the gingerbread cookies. Put those out, too. Even though you gave them penises," she rolled her eyes, swatting at him when he stepped away.

"Don't you realize that just makes them perfect for our group of friends?" Anthony grinned, heading over to the fridge to pull out the plate of gingerbread cookies.

"True, but I still stand by the belief that they're not very festive. Christmas isn't about _those _kind of balls," she reached into a drawer, grabbing a fork so she could scoop out a bit of the food from her pan, blowing across it to cool it down before taking a taste. "Oh my god, babe! You have to try this."

He stepped forward, taking the rest of the bite off her offered fork, "Wow, that's amazing. What is that?"

"Vegan 'Beef' stew. Doesn't the fake beef taste like the real thing?" Kalel found it hard to resist eating more, forcing herself to put the fork in the sink.

"Yeah, that's pretty impressive."

"Anyway, there are more cookies in that cupboard over there. Can you take them out and put them on the holiday tray under here?" She stretched one leg to tap the cabinet to her far left.

"Yes, master." Anthony said with a grin, evading her slap narrowly as he fulfilled her request.

He got them set out where she directed just in time for the first knock. Kalel's eyes widened, "Are they here already?" She quickly checked the clock and saw it was time. "Crap!"

"Calm down, babe. Just finish up. I'll take care of the guests until you're done," he leaned down to steal a kiss.

She smiled a little, "I don't know what I'd do without you..."

And so, Kalel set to furiously cook the rest of the meal - hoping to get everything timed out without burning it. Geesh, holiday parties sure were stressful.


	16. Friends (Everyone)

_Author's Notes: Although I say this chapter is pretty much everyone, that's a lie. It mostly focuses on interaction between Kalel, Joey, and Mari. The next one is really a mishmash of everyone!_

* * *

Kalel's dinner had been a big hit, even with the most particular of junkfood junkies like Ian and David. There was a resounding agreement around the table that it was delicious, and she swelled with pride. All the stress had been worth it. And once everyone was finished, she cleared the empty plates and leftovers up with Mari's and Joey's help, while Anthony spent the time entertaining - which meant turning on a videogame and having his own all guy version of game bang. The shouts, taunts, and cheers echoed throughout the apartment, and Kalel hoped the neighbors weren't going to complain.

She rolled her eyes, washing the last pan and handing it off to Mari to dry, "You sure you don't wanna be out there with them?"

"Are you kidding me? I have waaay more than my fair share of those guys," once Mari finished drying it, she handed it down the chain to Joey.

"So where does this go again?" He puzzled.

"In the cabinet right next to you, on the bottom shelf," Kalel answered. "I keep wanting to say 'you should know, you lived here briefly.' But then I realize you didn't live _here._"

"Nope. This little birdie flew the nest and then you all up and moved the nest on him. What's up with that?" Joey gave her a displeased face before putting the pan in its rightful spot.

"He's always guilting me. Always," Kalel turned to Mari, shaking her head.

"I see this," Mari responded, and then folded the dishtowel over the rack. Afterward, she stooped down in order to talk to Buki in the language of cats. Buki responded in kind, nuzzling Mari's hand. "Let me just say I love your cats."

"I think the feeling's mutual. Seriously. Buki hardly likes anyone," Kalel pointed out.

"Mmmhmm. She totally hates me," Joey commented.

Mari hefted the older of the two cats up into her arms, "But she's such a love. I doubt she has it in her to hate anyone. Ne, ne, koneko-chan?" She nose nuzzled the cat before letting her go.

"Thanks for helping me out out here," Kalel stepped forward, hooking her arms around her two friends. "You guys are the best."

"Aw, no problem, hon'!" Mari lightly returned the embrace.

"Aw shucks. Group hug!" Joey pulled them all together and smooshed.

"Mari! C'mere, Mari! We need even teams," Lasercorn's voice rose up loudest of all from the opposite room.

Mari rolled her eyes, "Well. Duty calls..."

"You know, I like how it's a group of all guys and instead of inviting the only other guy, they call Mari. I'm not sure whether I should be insulted for me or for Mari," Joey laughed.

"I'm used to it. My chick status has pretty much been revoked and I'm lumped in as one of the guys," she shook her head, making her way into the living room.

Joey and Kalel exchanged a glance before shrugging and making their way after her. Joey went over to find an available spot to sit that wasn't taken, and Kalel lingered where she was, leaning against the doorway. A little smile crossed her lips as she watched Sohinki argue that his controller disconnected during the last game and Anthony write him off as making his typical excuses, Joven glance up when Mari came to join them and scooting over so she would sit beside him, Ian saying something so typically Ian which brought the brightest smile and a laugh to Lasercorn's lips before Joey ducked between them, interrupting. She watched all of them interact and felt her happiness swell - so glad that she was able to call these people her friends.


	17. Together (Everyone)

_Author's Notes: Here's the conclusion to the holiday party with a little bit of everyone. Hope you enjoy! o/_

* * *

What did mature, responsible adult friends do at a Christmas party? Well, they all gathered around and played videogames, of course! Currently, Sohinki, Joven, Mari and Joey were all going up against Anthony in Luigi's mansion - Anthony taking on the role of the ghost who had to haunt each of the players and evade their flashlights. Kalel sat in the arm chair to the side, watching the game while Ian and Lasercorn did their best to assist the players hunting Anthony by shouting their ideas of where he might be. Anthony had to hover over his screen to make sure no one stole a peek which was a bit difficult considering the small space they were crammed into.

The game concluded with Anthony being triumphant, and he shouted his gratitude to the ceiling while the rest of the gang groaned in irritation. Anthony stood up, pointing toward them, "Yeah! That's right. Suck it!" His hands came together and he thrust his hips into them.

"You suck your own because you're the one who sucks," Joey wrinkled his nose.

"I totally had him, too. I swear the sensitivity's off on the controller," Sohinki waved the wiimote around as though to prove his point.

"Hashtag Sohinki Excuse," Lasercorn reached out to snatch the remote away and take his place.

"Wasn't it lag in the last game?" Ian stole Joven's spot so he could settle beside Lasercorn.

"And a glare on the tv before that," Lasercorn answered with a grin.

"Bah humbug to you both," Sohinki waved his arms, getting up and moving to the back.

"It's okay, Matt. We love you," Mari consoled, smiling over at him before offering her controller. "Kalel, you want a turn?"

"Sure, yeah!" She got up, heading over to replace Mari.

"It's my turn to be the ghost," Joven proclaimed. "Prepare to lose even worse than before!"

"Who are you preparing? You? Is this a little peptalk to yourself?" Anthony made a face, scooting over so he could take Joey's spot.

"I can picture Joven giving himself peptalks. Like right before he's about to do a chick. Just a mental peptalk - him and his dick," Ian said with a laugh.

"Oh god, why are we putting horrible mental images in our heads?" Lasercorn's face crinkled in disgust.

"You should feel honored to have me and my little stocking stuffer in your head this holiday season," Joven grinned, crossing his legs beneath him so he could sink into the game comfortably.

"Did you really just say - ugh. Gross, man," Sohinki shook his head in disgust.

"He wouldn't be Joven any other way," Mari countered, coming to sit beside Matt.

Kalel and Joey could only laugh at the easy going banter. Their friends were a group of the most unique and crazy individuals ever assembled in one room.

They continued to play a few more rounds of the game before their interest waned and they decided to move onto another one - a boardgame. Cards Against Humanity, as a matter of fact. With the eight of them playing and their twisted senses of humor, they had some hilarious (and horrible) rounds. Several people won throughout the night, but it seemed to be Ian and Sohinki who garnered the most wins.

And as the evening wore on and the fatigue settled in, the little stupid things people said grew more and more hilarious. These were the precious memories they made together - memories that couldn't be forgotten or lost throughout the years. Each of them that night were having the best time of their lives, being with the people they loved, and spending a holiday party the only way it should be spent - together.


	18. Reindeer (Game Bang Crew)

"GAME BANG!" The group struck their ridiculous 'badass' pose at the camera.

Anthony stood in the center, clapping his hands together once and the rest of them broke the pose, "So today on Game Bang, we're gonna be playing Prop Hunt."

"Enough of you wanted it," Ian spoke up. "So we're delivering because we love you."

Joven blew kisses at the camera while Mari made a heart with her hands. Sohinki smiled, but Lasercorn just stood there with creepy eyes.

"Yes. This is us, showing our love for you. So we're gonna divide up into teams and play a little prop hunt. And the losing team is gonna have to do a little holiday surprise," Anthony looked around at the rest of them.

"Ooo. A holiday surprise," Lasercorn steepled his fingers.

"Alright, I'm definitely not losing," Sohinki tucked his hands in his pockets.

"Tryhard mode activated," Anthony teased.

"I call team Iancorn!" Ian blurted out, grabbing Lasercorn's hand and forcing it into the air.

Mari laughed, "Of course you do." She looked over the players left. "I'm going with Sohinki! Because if anyone is bound to win, it's team Marhinki. And I'm sick of being the loser all the time!"

Sohinki smiled and high fived her when she stepped forward, "Welcome to the top scoring team."

"And that leaves Anthonyshire. Antshire. Jovanthony?" Anthony glanced over at Joven for his input.

Sweeping his glasses up the bridge of his nose, he shrugged, "Jovanthony has a nice little ring to it."

"Jovanthony it is!" Anthony agreed.

"Name bang!" Sohinki pointed at the camera.

And so they got started on the game itself. Anthony and Joven were up against Sohinki and Mari first with Marhinki being the props while Jovanthony were the hunters. The game proceeded in typical game bang fashion, with them all being obnoxiously loud and finding ways to slip sexual innuendos into the conversation. Sohinki, of course, became frustrated when Mari put their win in jeopardy, and became even more frustrated when she was the first to get caught. Joven and Anthony, then, united in a mad dash to find Matt before the time ran out. The game ended successfully for Jovanthony.

The different rounds went on the same way with every team taking a turn being either the hunters or the props until everyone had done them both once and all the teams had gone up against each other an equal amount of times. The end results? Jovanthony were the winning team with Iancorn in second - while a sulking Sohinki and a pouting Mari were crowned the losers.

"Why is it always me?!" Mari shook her hands up at the ceiling.

"I don't know, but why did you have to bring me down too?" Sohinki was still sore about his loss. "Can I be exempt from the punishment? I'm playing the Jewish card."

"A punishment is a punishment," Lasercorn rubbed his hands together with a dark grin as Joven went off to retrieve the punishment outfits.

In a matter of moments, he returned with two reindeer costumes and one red clown nose, "So instead of doing a prop hunt, we're gonna do a reindeer hunt with our losers as the reindeer."

"And you can rock paper scissors for who gets to be Rudolph," Ian hovered over the both of them with a mocking grin.

Mari reluctantly took the red nose, "I know Sohinki's gonna bitch even more if he has to be the classic holiday icon."

"Don't forget that in order to hunt some reindeer, we need some weapons," Anthony pulled in a bin of toy artillery.

Joven, Lasercorn, Ian, and Anthony lingered over it - taking their weapons. Joven went with a regular nerf gun with foam covered, suction cup bullets while Lasercorn chose the crossbow. Anthony pulled out a foam sword while Ian was left with one that shot out foam balls. Each of them appeared pleased with their weapons while Mari and Sohinki disappeared to change. When the pair came back, they did a walk of shame to the camera - dressed head to toe in a reindeer onesie with antler headbands. The only difference was Mari's clown nose. Sohinki appeared to be the one who sulked the most, though. Mari was actually okay with the costume - claiming it was cute in a weird way. Everyone else, of course, laughed at their expense.

"I feel like a failed mascot. This costume is clearly too big," Sohinki grabbed a bit of the fabric and made something of a kangaroo pouch in front.

Seeing the opportunity, Lasercorn wadded up a piece of paper and tossed it at said kangaroo pouch, cheering when he successfully landed the shot.

"It's not so bad. C'mon. We look adorable," Mari leaned her head on Sohinki's shoulder for a moment, grinning at Wes, and subsequently the camera, with a wave.

"Adorable until they start pelting us with guns, you mean..."

"So in true sportsmanship style, we'll give you guys a minute to sneak off and find your hiding places before the hunt begins..." Anthony grabbed out his phone, preparing the timer.

"Is a minute enough time to run out to my car?" Sohinki thought aloud.

"All reindeer must stay inside the building!" Joven answered.

"So with that in mind, they better start running because they're wasting precious hiding time," Lasercorn grinned darkly, making an overexaggerated effort to load his cross bow.

Mari and Sohinki looked at each other before rushing from the room. With no rules or boundaries set, they decided that all of headquarters was at their disposal - and Sohinki quickly said they would better their chances of surviving if they separated. Mari, of course, thought he was taking this waaay too seriously, but went along with his plan anyway. They veered off in opposite directions - Sohinki settling on ducking into the break room and hiding under the table. Mari, on the other hand, went in the direction where other people were actually working, shouting her apologies as she darted through - receiving many odd looks as she passed. She chose a small corner she could wedge herself into behind the water cooler, and all that was left was to wait.

A minute passed relatively quick, and the hunters headed off, searching the closest areas first - the little kitchen area and the break room. When they reached the latter room, they looked around for only a bit before Joven proclaimed he found Sohinki. Sohinki battled his way out between the table legs and went to make a run for it, but he got showered in 'bullets' before he could get that far. When he turned around, he even got a foam arrow to the crotch area.

"Goddamnit, Lasercorn! That could've hurt!" Matt groaned.

"Yes! Victory!" Lasercorn beamed.

"On to find, Mari!" Anthony proclaimed.

Joven grabbed Sohinki by the scruff of his neck, "And we'll skin this reindeer in the meantime."

The group left and hunted each of the rooms, looking around in the various offices and other sections. It took them a bit in order to reach the one where Mari was hiding, and even a little longer to find her.

"Oh god, no!" She screamed and covered her face as she got pelted by nerf weapons.

"Ha ha ha, die, bitch!" Lasercorn enjoyed himself a little too much.

After successfully 'murdering' Mari, she came out of her hiding place and they all turned toward the camera, striking a pose and saying, "Reindeer Bang!"


	19. Santa (Iancorn)

_Author's Notes: Soooo while I tried to keep the rest of the Iancorn chapters platonic, I kind of amped up the shipping level on this one. Why? Because I have no willpower haha. It's my Christmas present to me...? lol idek. BUT I hope you enjoy! _

* * *

And the crowning title of 'Last Minute Shopping Kings' definitely went to Ian and Lasercorn, who only had six days before Christmas and hadn't even started shopping. Since they were in much the same boat, they decided to go together, making it at least one less asshole on the road to fight through the chaos. Ian was the brave soul who took on holiday traffic and after several curses, threats, and horn blaring - not to mention witnessing several acts of stupidity from people who didn't even deserve to have licenses - they made it to the mall.

Their shopping so far had consisted of stopping in random stores and throwing random things in their basket that by this point, they didn't really care whether people liked them or not. It was the thought that counted and the people should be grateful they actually thought of buying them something at all. It would have been much easier to continue to waste their time doing other (more interesting) things.

They had only been at the mall an hour, but were already almost finished. David took a few of his smaller bags and tucked them into the larger ones to make it easier to carry while most of Ian's stuff was already in one bag because he bought pretty much everything from a single store. Ian stifled a yawn as they reached the center of the mall where a large Christmas display took much of the space and right at the heart of it was the mall Santa who catered to a ton of little kids.

"I need some coffee. You want anything?" He offered.

David looked at the line of children, turning back toward Ian, "Uh...yeah. If you're offering to pay, that'd be great. Get me an espresso."

"I'll be back," Ian juggled his bags in one hand as he reached into his pocket to liberate his wallet.

He headed over to the coffee shop (more like a stand) right next to Santa; the line of adults rivaling the line of kids waiting to meet their chubby gift giver. Ian waited for about ten minutes, being approached by a couple of random fans who wanted pictures and to talk (or hyperventilate while attempting to talk) before he reached the front and ordered the drinks. It took another five minutes for the drinks to be made, and by this point the two girls who weren't quite young enough for Santa and shouldn't have been old enough for coffee were chatting his ear off and asking where Anthony was and if they were going to be taking advantage of the mistletoe.

Ian politely brushed them off, which took a great deal of effort considering his headache, his annoyance, and his desire to get the hell out of there. He told them he was meeting someone, and then exited stage left - heading over to where he last left Lasercorn. It was annoying how so many people assumed he was with Anthony, that he would chose to be with Anthony over anyone else just because they were best friends. It was annoying how people made their assumptions and didn't know the boundaries of what should and shouldn't be said in real life. It was annoying that he was spending so much time with David, and David hadn't even kissed him once. Ian supposed that was his real irritation above all else.

He thought going with David to Ohio was a real testament to how he felt about him. At this point in time, they were both single. David had been on the brink of getting married, but at the last minute it fell through when his fiance decided she couldn't live with a man she barely saw. He and Melanie had been done for months for no particular reason other than the chemistry between them hadn't been there. Ian supposed it was probably his fault. Ever since he met David, things between them had been confusing at best, making Ian call his whole sexuality into question. He never talked about it to anyone, especially not David - but he liked to think the feeling was mutual with how willing David seemed to be to spend time with him.

Ian shook the thoughts away, reaching his destination and pausing there. David was no where in sight. He looked around in search of him, and then located him amongst the little kids - sitting on Santa's lap. It caused him to burst into a laugh, and he grabbed his phone to take a picture. Santa and Lasercorn had a small exchange, after which Santa handed him something Ian couldn't make out from this distance. Then, they posed for a picture for the mall photographer before David got up and headed back to Ian.

"What the hell were you doing?" Ian couldn't contain his amusement, his irritation waning.

"Telling Santa what I wanted for Christmas. Duh," David grinned, reaching out to steal his coffee from Ian.

"And what was that?"

"Psh, I'm not saying a word. Maybe you'll find out if his advice works," Lasercorn grinned mischievously, taking a sip of his precious caffeine.

Ian rolled his eyes with a smile, "Alright. Whatever, bro. Keep your secrets. I don't care. Are we done?"

"Pretty much, yeah. I wanna stop in one more store if you don't mind..."

"Go for it, man. It'll give the caffeine time to seep into my veins."

They started to head off, Lasercorn taking only one detour - to pick up his picture with Santa. He grinned at it before showing the image to Ian who got a good laugh before the pair continued their shopping in slightly better spirits than before.


	20. Hot Chocolate (Marhinki)

_Author's Notes: This one's for you, Marhinki lovers! _

* * *

Matt had gone out to see Mari's final performance of the Nutcracker - not because he had an appreciation for ballet, not necessarily because he wanted to see Mari in a skimpy ballerina costume (though that was a benefit), but because he wanted to be supportive of her. And to be honest, he sat through the whole show wondering what the hell was going on and what the dances even _meant._ But Mari looked stunning on stage - when the lights hit her and she glided across the dance floor on the tips of her toes, she had an ethereal quality he had never seen before. Matt was in awe, and when she finished, he cheered and whooped the loudest which was probably poor ballet etiquette, but he didn't care. She deserved all the noisy praise in the world.

So after the show, he decided to take her out to celebrate. It wasn't necessarily a date. At least, not a fancy one. But Matt still considered it a date because it was him, alone with Mari in a cozy coffee shop. Not the typical Starbucks that littered nearly every street in every town, but an indie place where hipsters went at night with comfy couches; a place that offered wifi and a modern atmosphere to go along with your custom made coffee. He figured, this would be a nice place to chill with Mari - just the two of them, snuggled together on a couch, while hovering over a laptop and playing a videogame. It was so them - leaving the world of the ballet and returning to reality.

Mari told him she would meet him there because she had to hang up her costumes and wanted to say goodbye to a few people she worked with. So Matt got them a good seat, plugged in his laptop and waited. He was there for about a half hour before Mari walked in the shop. She might have been in regular clothes, but her hair and makeup were still done in their other worldly sugar plum fairy way - making her this odd mix of Mari and ballet goddess. Matt found himself staring.

She moved over to him, starting to apologize as she stripped off her coat and dropped it on the furthest end of the couch.

"Don't be sorry," Matt assured before he reached to his side and offered her a bouquet of white roses. "Congrats on tonight. You were amazing."

"Sohinki..." Mari trailed off for a moment, too touched for words as she accepted the flowers. Her fingers traced the petals. "They're beautiful. Thank you. How did you know white roses were my favorite?"

"A little bit of stalking, but mostly guess work." He said, proud.

"You weren't insanely bored tonight, were you?"

"No!" Matt protested a little too adamantly, only to receive a look from her that demanded the truth. "Well...yeah. But the parts with you were great, and I mean that. I'm glad I went. Seeing you up there was...well, magical."

"I'm glad you came," she smiled, bringing the flowers to her face to sniff them one last time before setting them aside. "So, let's get our drinks. I'm craving hot chocolate with extra marshmallows. This place better deliver."

"It will deliver that and more. What size you want?" Matt rose to his feet, eyeing her in question.

"Hmm. The largest one you can get. The show's done. I can officially gorge myself for the holidays."

Matt laughed, "I'm sure you don't have anything to worry about no matter what you eat. Anyway, I'll be back." He paused before leaning in to plant a quick kiss on her cheek. It was clumsy, a little awkward, but it earned a smile.

He headed up to the counter, locating her hot chocolate on the menu before deciding to get one for himself as well. After the beverages were made, he returned to their seat, setting Mari's in front of her - the one with extra marshmallows.

"Thanks!" She piped up, taking the cup in both of her hands and gently blowing across the steam before taking a sip. "Mmm. That totally hits the spot."

"I concur," Matt responded, setting his cup down. He smiled to himself when he felt Mari curl up and rest her head against his shoulder. "Did you want to play a few games or something?"

"You know, I'm really not feeling the games tonight. I'd rather just sit here and enjoy this." Mari reached out, scooping a bit of the whipped cream from her cocoa on her finger before dabbing it across his nose.

"Ack! Hey! What're you doing?" He went to wipe it off, but she placed her hand on top of his to stop him.

"Let me get it," Mari wore a playfully devious grin as she leaned in and trailed her tongue along his nose, ending it with a little kiss before she burst into a laugh. "Wow, that was totally not sexy at all."

Matt laughed, too. No, it really wasn't. It was a little creepy. But not as creepy as the time when she had to lick Joven's nipple, he supposed. "It's the thought that counts, I guess?"

"Now you're getting into the holiday spirit. About damn time, Sohinki!"

"Well, I do know this pretty incredible girl who is kind of corrupting me..." he linked his arm around her shoulders.

"Mind-o con-turo-lloo~" Mari waved her hands around his face as she reverted to her Japanese accent.

"Oh yeah? And what are you mind controlling me to do now?"

Mari stopped the wild arms, smiling up at him sweetly, "Kiss me, of course!"

"Finding it impossible to resist. Must obey..."

His face neared hers and he locked them in a kiss, tasting the sweet cocoa that lingered on her lips as well as a sweetness all her own. Even though Matt didn't celebrate Christmas, he could appreciate the holiday spirit it instilled in Mari - and he most certainly could appreciate this unofficial relationship they found themselves in. Hopefully they would find themselves in an official relationship come the end of the holiday season - it just required Sohinki to man up and ask, and that took a lot more courage than he had at the moment.


	21. Stockings (Kalanthony)

_Author's Notes: Sorry I didn't upload this yesterday! I can totally relate to Anthony in the WULAS video when he said he always waits until last minute to Christmas shop. To be fair, I would've actually started last weekend, but we keep having snowstorms damnit! So I was forced to brave the rush of douchebags and assholes last night after work. And by the time I got home, I was too exhausted to do much else. But anyway, my rambling excuses aside - I think this is going to be the last Kalanthony because I kind of plan to close off the fic by kind of closing off each of the pairings. So Iancorn, Marhinki, Marishire, and the last one will be...well I won't spoil it, but if all goes well and I don't tear my hair out trying to write it, it should include a little bit of everyone. BUT I'll let you get to reading now. haha enjoy! :)_

* * *

Even despite spending a ridiculous amount of money on friends, family, Anthony, decorations, food, and...well _everything_ - Kalel still found the cash to give herself a few presents. She ordered some things online for herself and was in the middle of altering a few of the Christmas decorations on the mantle, making sure the four stockings (one for her, Anthony, and both of the cats) were evenly spaced when their apartment was buzzed by the delivery man. Kalel immediately dashed to the door, grabbing the box and offering him a generous holiday tip. Like a child full of Christmas glee, she rushed to the middle of the living room floor and ripped into the box.

Inside were all the holiday themed clothing she ordered, little jingle bell earrings and a rich green sweater. A red plaid skirt was also in there, which wasn't necessarily Christmasy, but it reminded her of it. But as she dug through the various purchases she made to get to the bottom, she found the item she was most excited about. Kalel wasn't really a lingerie type of girl, but when she saw the cute, sheer red stockings with Christmas bows at the top, she had to get it. Kalel took the box with her to the bathroom and then rushed into hers and Anthony's room. Anthony was seated on the bed, and he looked up from the magazine he was reading - arching a brow at Kalel's bustle.

She didn't say anything, though - just grabbed a few things from the closet and then rushed off into the bathroom to change. A few mixes and matches later, Kalel came up with a satisfying outfit. She stood in front of the full length mirror, twirling around in her plaid skirt and halter-top plus blazer combo. At the end of the twirl, she kicked up her Mary-Jane clad foot and mostly admired the stockings and how they really accented the outfit.

Kalel skipped out of the bathroom and headed toward her bedroom, standing in the doorway and clearing her throat as she struck a pose, "Ahem, ahem!"

Anthony glanced up at her, "I see you got new clothes."

"Uh huuuh ~ what do you think?" She pinched the sides of her skirt and fanned it out.

"You look kind of like Santa's kinky schoolgirl daughter," he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I like it."

"Because of the kinky schoolgirl daughter part? Or because it actually looks good?" She walked toward the bed and then crawled across it to straddle his lap.

"If I say both, do I still get laid tonight?" Anthony put the magazine to the side, bringing his hands around to rest on the small of her back.

"Mmm, that depends on if you can convince me you mean it," Kalel winked.

"Women are so complicated - always making things challenging," Anthony pouted. "But seriously - you look good. I think you can make anything look good, so I don't know if you look good 'cause of the outfit or 'cause you're you."

"Aww. You do know the right things to say sometimes!"

"I'd give myself more credit than that. I'd say most of the time instead of just sometimes."

"Nope. Sorry. It's only sometimes."

"Such a harsh critic."

"I don't know...I'd say I'm pretty fair. Most people would probably give you less than a sometimes," she trailed her fingers along his arms. "Maybe I'm just biased."

"Some bias," Anthony grumbled before suddenly wrapping his arms around her frame and dragging her down onto the bed with him.

She hit the mattress with a laugh, "Maybe I'd like you better if you didn't have to tackle me down like some sort of linebacker. Geesh."

"Well...I was wondering how attached you are to those clothes at the moment, because I'm thinking I'd like to see you out of them," Anthony's fingertips traced the bows of her stockings.

"Rip them and I kill you," she smirked, raising her eyebrows suggestively. "But I don't mind slooowly removing them..."

Anthony beamed and the pair of them kissed, forgetting the world for a little while.


	22. Cheer (Iancorn)

_Author's Notes: Merry Christmas, my fellow Iancorn shippers. May all of our shipping dreams come true!_

* * *

Ian was getting frustrated, and this was why he left the editing up to Anthony and everyone else usually. As he tried to put clips together and fit things seamlessly, hilariously, and in a visually pleasing manner, to him it seemed to come out like eye vomit. Nothing was as good as what Anthony did, but Anthony was back in Los Angeles - taking well-needed time off to be with his family and Kalel. And Ian, being the great best friend he was, said 'don't worry about it, man. I can take care of it.' He wished he had a time machine so he could go back and slap himself upside the head.

But Ian supposed his lack of practice with editing wasn't entirely to blame. He was distracted by his whole situation with David. Whenever he had time alone, things between them seemed to creep into his mind and take up valuable space. It was frustrating not being able to turn his thoughts off, being tormented by his imagination and fantasies and hypothetical 'what ifs?' Things wouldn't change unless he took the step to change them. And how could he go about changing them if he didn't even know where David stood?

He was getting no where - not with the editing and definitely not with figuring out what he was going to do with David. Ian decided to save what he had done on the video so far and close the program down. He could deal with it all later - after he got some food.

Ian left his room, making his way toward the kitchen just in time to hear a knock on the door. He veered off mid-stride, heading to the entrance and opening it up. When he saw who was standing there, his chest tightened in a strange mix of surprise and delight because hidden behind a hideous Santa costume was Lasercorn himself.

"Ho ho ho. Santacorn thought this little boy could use a bit of holiday cheer," he slung a sack over his shoulder, doing his best to look jolly.

"You're like a thing of nightmares," Ian stepped out of the way so David could enter.

"The nightmares of your dreams, more like it," he walked in and paused to mull over what he said. "That made more sense in my mind..."

"So why has Santacorn honored me with his presence again?"

"Santacorn has honored you with his presence to give you presents. Ho ho ho," David reached into his bag, rummaging around.

"Dude, you didn't have to..."

"Shut up. Of course I did. Now let me see, I know it's in here somewhere," he dug and searched before stopping all of a sudden. "Wait. Here it is!"

Ian watched the display in faint amusement. He watched as David's Santa beard got in the way of talking, so he ripped it off and dropped it to the floor. He saw a sudden flash of green come out of the bag and go over his head. Before he could even draw in the breath to ask what it was, David's lips came crashing against his own. It was a nervous, hasty, and uncertain kiss - the type of kiss that let Ian know once and for all that David was feeling the exact same way. The pressure of Ian's concern, lamenting, and general anxiety about the situation popped in a bubble of relief, and Ian returned the kiss to reassure David that the feeling was agonizingly mutual. He couldn't say it was the greatest kiss known to mankind - they were too hopped up on adrenaline, too nervous, and too inexperienced with one another. But nevertheless, it was amazing.

They parted far too soon, looking at each other for a long moment before branching off into a laugh. It was a laugh of all their relieved tension, and it felt almost as good as the kiss.

"So uh...Merry Christmas? Hope you didn't mind getting your present a little early," David fumbled with the mistletoe in his hands.

"No, man. It came at a perfect time. You have no idea how perfect your timing was," Ian shook his head in amusement. "I was just about to look through my arsenal of microwave goods for some dinner. You want something?"

"I'm good. I'll just be creepy and watch you eat. Could go for some sort of carbonated substance if you don't mind..." he trailed along after Ian until they reached the kitchen.

He went into the fridge first and got David a coke before searching the freezer, settling on a frozen pizza as his meal of choice, "So the mistletoe...was that what Santa gave you that time in the mall?"

"A little bit of Christmas magic, yeah? I told him my issue, and that was his simple, though super effective, advice. The Santa outfit was all my idea. I mean, if there are songs out there about MILF's making out with Santa, surely it would work when I tried to make out with you, right?"

"How did you know about my secret Santa fetish?" Ian's eyebrows wiggled.

"I have my ways. I mean, I am one half of Iancorn."

"You realize now that you're here, you're going to have to help me with editing the latest video for Smosh. I'm putting you to work, damnit."

"Whaaat? But it's my day off," David made an exaggerated display of frowning his disapproval.

"The sooner we get it done, the sooner we can make out again."

"Deal!"

Ian laughed. At that point, the microwave went off, signifying the pizza was done. They didn't need to put a label on what they were, or to even address it with words. Right now, for Ian, it was enough to know David felt the same way about him - that was the best Christmas present he could have gotten and the best thing to lead into the New Year.


	23. Cold (Marhinki)

Matt felt like crap. It was a good thing they filmed a ton of episodes in advance, because he didn't feel like doing anything that involved dragging himself out of bed. Even the necessary things like getting food, water, or going to the bathroom took an immense effort. He hadn't bothered to lock the front door, figuring if someone wanted to break in - let them. His only defense at the moment would've been his germs, and though they were incredibly effective at taking the wind out of anyone's sails, they were slow acting. He was grateful for his lack of energy in locking the door, though, when he heard someone knocking.

He groaned out that it was open and then groaned because of his crappy state of being, bringing the blankets up and over his head. He assumed it would be Joven coming by to check up on him, anyway. Joven had been there when the cold started to take Matt down in its clutches. It wasn't entirely out of character for him to bring cold medicine to a sick friend in need. But the footsteps approaching weren't obnoxiously loud enough to be any of Matt's male friends. He didn't have time to figure out who it might have been before the person was taking his covers and lifting them up - revealing Mari.

"So it is true. A cold is kicking your ass," she stated as a matter of factly, bringing her palm to his forehead to check his temperature.

"It's Lasercorn's fault. He caught it first and passed this horrible, hideous plague on to me..." Matt grumbled hoarsely.

She laughed, "And even now you're casting the blame on everyone else." Her hand ruffled through his dampened locks. "Well fortunately for you, Dr. Mari is in the house - and let's keep any and all racist jokes to a bare minimum, okay?"

Matt managed a laugh that dissolved into coughs, "This sounds like the beginning of a bad porno."

Mari slapped him lightly, "Since when did you turn into Ian?"

"Ow! You're being a bad doctor. Can I sue you for malpractice?"

"You could try, but you signed up for it."

"I don't remember signing anything..."

"It was the unspoken thing that happened when you kissed me," Mari grinned.

Matt felt his cheeks heat up, but he was sure it wasn't from fever. Fortunately, he kept his head tucked away under the covers and out of sight, "So what's the first order of business for Doctor Mari?"

"Well, I'm going to occupy your kitchen and make you some chicken noodle soup and some green tea. It's two supposed cold remedies from both of my homes, so I figure one of them has to have it right, yeah?"

"I guess that's good logic. But can you even cook?" Matt had always gone out to eat with Mari, never knowing what she did for meals when left up to her own devices. He didn't mean to ask the question condescendingly, but it came out that way - earning a scoff from her.

"Uh...I grew up in a traditional Japanese family. Of course I can cook, duh! Just you wait. Prepare to be amazed..." she got up from the bed briskly.

"I'm preparing," but the only thing he prepared was closing his eyes.

It seemed that as soon as she had gone, she came back with the food. But it couldn't have been - both items needed at least ten minutes preparation time so Matt figured he must have dozed off, coming back to awareness when she lightly nudged his shoulder. He opened his eyes and slowly sat up so she could place a little bed tray across his lap. There was a bowl of delicious looking soup and a steaming cup of greenish tea beside it. Fortunately, she provided him with a fork and spoon, leaving out the chopsticks.

"In Japanese, before we eat a meal, we typically say 'itadakimasu'!"

"Yeah? Why? What's that supposed to do?"

"It literally translates into 'I humbly receive.' It's a blessing."

"Oh, okay. Well, itawhateveryousaidsue," Matt lifted the spoon and dipped it into the broth, bringing it up to his lips for a slurp.

Mari smiled, watching him, "Well? How is it? Were you prepared for a feast so good?"

"It is really good," he agreed between mouthfuls.

"Aw yeah," she pumped her fist in the air.

He continued to eat, savoring the way the flavors all went together and how it heated his insides pleasantly. Even though his tastebuds were a little off from the sickness, he could still tell it was a good meal. It really hit the spot. He wondered how much better it would have tasted if he didn't have a stupid cold.

Matt appreciated what Mari had done for him. She definitely didn't have to do this. Hell, he probably wouldn't have gone over into a contaminated area and taken care of someone who was sick if it put himself at risk. And yet, here she was - throwing caution to the wind and being by his side.

By his side...

Matt came to realize he wanted her by his side for more than just this one day. They might have kissed, but nothing was ever made official. What was he waiting for? The longer he waited, the more chances he had of someone else coming in and sweeping Mari off her feet. He drew in a breath. It was now or never.

He set his spoon down carefully, turning toward her, "You know, Mari...there's something that's been on my mind for a while."

"You're welcome," she answered - assuming he was giving her his gratitude.

"No, that's not - I mean, thank you, yeah. But that's not what I was going to say. Just hear me out," Matt's head was a fog - a haze of unconnected thoughts. This was probably the worst time to be doing this. "I like you a lot. I like when we spend time together. And I know this isn't the most romantic moment in the world. I planned on asking after some fancy dinner or after a nice evening strolling along the beach or something, and I got snot running down my face, don't I?"

She nodded.

"Damnit," he mumbled and grabbed a tissue, cleaning himself up before getting back to what he was saying. "But anyway, I just...what I want to know is...what I'm trying to say-"

"Yes, Matt," Mari jumped the gun, sparing him anymore humiliation. "I'll definitely be your girlfriend."

"You will?" He seemed surprised. "I mean, cool."

She laughed.

"So I don't suppose I could get a kiss to make it official, huh?" Matt leaned in, puckering his lips.

Mari leaned back to avoid him, "Nope. Nuh uh. Not until you're better. But just think - that gives you all the more incentive to get better as quickly as possible, right?"

He deflated in disappointment, but he understood. And he was just grateful that she said yes. Matt would probably beat himself up over his delivery later and blame his sickness for anything Mari would use to mock him for in the future, but for the time being he was the happiest he had ever been. He had just landed his ethereal, ballerina princess - and that was the thing most men only dreamed of doing with their lives.


	24. Carols (Marishire)

_Author's Notes: Updating this real quick before I run off to do family things. Merry Christmas Eve, guys! Hope it's a great one!_

* * *

"Where are you taking me?" Mari asked Joshua, being dragged by the hand.

"You'll see," he assured her, moving with such childlike joy it was nearly contagious.

Mari shook her head with a laugh, having no choice but to go along for the ride, apparently. They were walking, or more like running, along the streets of Sacramento - rushing toward a little park for children called Fairytale Town. The place had themed playground sections based off of various fairytales, and Mari was having a hard time figuring out what Joshua really wanted to show her there. True, she knew he was immature and it would make sense for him to enjoy things that were typically meant for little kids, but the urgency obviously meant it was something he thought she would particularly enjoy.

Finally they came to a stop in the middle of the park where everything was Christmas themed and the area had gone from a regular playground to, well, a Winter Wonderland. Mari took a moment to admire what she was seeing - the Christmas lights, the tinsel and garland, and the various other glimmering decorations all sparkling together to bring magic to the park. To top it off, there was a group of carolers singing in perfect pitch and harmony to a group that had gathered around them. Mari listened to them for a moment before smiling her appreciation.

"I had no idea this was going on. Thanks for showing it to me..."

Joshua shrugged her statement off dismissively before plopping his arm around her shoulders, "The honor was mine - getting to spend the day with you, ya know. You've really helped me out a lot this holiday season."

"Me? What did I do?" She looked up at him in confusion.

"If I listed everything off, it would take too long and I'd personally rather listen to the carolers than my stupid voice droning on and on. But hey - that choice is yours to make, I guess."

"Well for the list of everything you're too lazy to say - you're welcome, I guess?"

He smiled and they sank into comfortable silence where they could enjoy the performers and the scenery, and secretly the warmth of one another. Mari had an easy enough time trying to rationalize all the reasons she shouldn't like Josh. For one, he could be creepy and two, he was the nerdiest nerd to ever nerd. But those were also reasons she liked him. Among his qualities, he was one of the most sensitive, most passionate, and most kind men she knew. That saying 'nice guys finish last' was true when it came to poor Joven. He never seemed to have any luck in anything, and now - after showing her something simple but magical - didn't he deserve to have his moment?

Mari looked around the area before she spotted what she was searching for. She had a plan, "Heeey..." She reached up to take his arm off her shoulders and link her own through his. "Why don't we move over to that side for a better view?"

Oblivious like usual, Joshua nodded, "Okay."

They walked in the given direction, skirting around children and weaving through the crowd. The carolers were singing their own acapella rendition of Wham's Christmas classic, and at some point between '_Last Christmas, I gave you my heart' _and '_The very next day, you gave it away' _they reached their destination. At '_this year, to save me from tears' _Mari cupped Joshua's cheeks. And at _'I'll give it to someone special_' she pulled him in and planted her lips on his. She felt him tense in shock, and it took him a moment to relax. But once he did, they shared a nice, romantic kiss for at least a quarter of the song. Mari parted ways first, smiling up at him.

It took Joshua a little while to be able to speak, and when he did, there was a crack in his voice, "What...was that for?"

Mari pointed up above their heads. Joven followed the gesture and noticed the little sprig of mistletoe hanging there.

He wrinkled his nose in mock distaste, "You sneaky woman you."

"Hey, when you're a woman, you use whatever tools you can find to get what you want," she laughed. "But c'mon, it's not like you had the balls to do it. Someone had to take charge here."

"I take offense! I totally would have. And could have! You didn't give me the chance..."

"How long has it been, Joven? A year? Two years?"

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "I was waiting for the right moment..."

"Suuuuure," she hooked her arms around his waist. "So I'd say this moment is pretty right, right now. Are you going to man up and kiss me? Or do I have to initiate it again?"

"You're such a bully - twisting my arm like this," Joshua shook his head slowly. He then leaned down and brushed his lips against hers again.

There had probably been plenty of 'perfect moments' for this to happen, and the wait had been absolutely agonizing - but right now, Mari could forgive and forget. This was their perfect moment, and the one day Joshua would be able to safely say he came in first.


	25. Christmas (Everyone)

_Author's Notes: So...hahaha. I kind of feel like a horrible person for writing this. It's just me, desecrating one of Christmas's most sacred poems. But I thought it would be a fun way to end this story, so hopefully you guys have a twisted sense of humor like me and enjoy it! Merry Christmas, loves! (If you celebrate, that is. If not...MERRY WHATEVER YOU CELEBRATE!) I hope you all have a wonderful day._

* * *

Twas the night before Christmas, and in WULAS crib,  
Not a creature was stirring, except Buki and Pip.  
The stockings _were _hung on the mantle with care,  
Until Pip knocked them down, catnip all in his hair.

Joshua and Matt were asleep in their beds,  
While ballerina Mari danced naked in their heads.  
And Ian slept nude, this image I map -  
To give Lasercorn something over which to fap.

Back in WULAS house, there arose such a clatter  
That Kalel got up to see what was the matter.  
It was just Pip and Buki, tangled in Christmas grass  
And Anthony slept through it all, what a jackass!

Kalel detangled the cats, and told them 'no'  
so she could go back to bed, kitties in tow.  
They curled under blankets, warm and content  
Even Pip seemed to finally relent.

Christmas came early, Joven donning his hoodie  
To rise from bed, along with his woodie.  
He loved Christmas morning, so he couldn't wait  
To open his presents, and later masturbate.

The rest of the Smosh Crew were much later risers.  
They weren't getting up early unless it was dire.  
Sohinki didn't celebrate, so he could meet his quota  
To put eleven of his day's hours into playing Dota.

Kalel was next awake, yawning and stretching  
And she went into the kitchen, going-a-fetching  
For hers and Anthony's mutual phone-a  
To blare the alarm in his ear and wake him from coma.

"Wake up, babe! Wake up!" She shook him and said:  
"It's Christmas morning! You gotta get up from bed!"  
Anthony groaned and stirred in the sheets.  
"I'm up," he lied and then went back to sleep.

Kalel was determined and didn't relent  
Until Anthony finally got the hint.  
They both got up and opened a gift.  
Kalel got uggs; she was pretty miffed.

What else did they get? Well that's not important.  
I'm going to say how the rest; their day spent.  
We all know how much I ship Iancorn,  
So Ian and David spent the day making porn.

Marishire vs. Marhinki, I couldn't decide  
So I gave you both, and it's been a nice ride.  
I leave it up to you with whom she ends up  
I'm breaking the fourth wall now - hey guys, sup?

I've run out of rhymes and funny things to say  
So I'm shorting this two verses; I hope that's okay.  
This story's been challenging, but really fun to write!  
Merry Christmas, Smosh Fans! And to all a good night!


End file.
